By Roger McKinney

rmckinney@joplinglobe.com

COLUMBUS, Kan. — Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves said he is cracking down on county residents who have illegally registered their vehicles in other states.

Groves said he prefers residents to comply voluntarily, but if not, his deputies will issue citations.

“I think it’s definitely a problem,” Groves said. “It’s easy for people to go to another state to register their cars and trucks.”

He said the problem is primarily in the southern part of the county, near the Oklahoma and Missouri borders, especially around Baxter Springs and Galena.

“It’s essentially illegal registration,” Groves said. “The problem, aside from them just choosing to break the law, is the money from those registrations goes toward cities and school districts, and a lot of other government functions.”

Groves said residents sometime get a post-office box in Oklahoma, or register their vehicles at the address of a cabin on the lake, or a friend’s or family member’s address in Oklahoma.

The cost to register a car in Oklahoma is much less than it would be in Kansas or Missouri.

Adding to the cost in Kansas and Missouri are personal property taxes. Paula Ross, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Tax Commission, said there is no property tax on vehicles in her state.

Using a 2008 Toyota Corolla as an example, the cost to register the car in Oklahoma is $91.

In Kansas, the cost to register the car is $39, but property taxes add $207.55, for a total of $246.55.

In Missouri, a one-year registration is $21.25. There also is a $3.35 fee. An inspection can add up to $12.50 to the price. The property tax on the car, if it’s in Joplin, in Jasper County and in the Joplin School District, is $175.99. The Missouri total is $213.09.

Ted Farnen, spokesman for the Missouri Department of Revenue, said a new license plate could add $2.78 to the total.

Cherokee County Treasurer Juanita Hodgson said she has already seen some results of the increased enforcement effort.

“I’ve had people come in saying ‘I need to get this changed to Kansas before I get in trouble,’” Hodgson said.

She said the revenues go back into the communities, for roads, police, to school districts and townships.

Hodgson said another consideration is that if a newly purchased Kansas vehicle is registered in Oklahoma, Kansas loses the sales-tax revenue. The sales-tax rate in Columbus and Baxter Springs is 7.8 percent.

Ross, with the Oklahoma Tax Commission, said the local sales tax rates in Oklahoma don’t apply to vehicles. Instead, a 3.25 percent excise tax is used statewide on vehicle sales.

The sales-tax rate in the Jasper County portion of Joplin, Mo., is 7.825 percent. In the Newton County portion of Joplin, the rate is 7.725 percent.

Having an illegal vehicle registration is a misdemeanor. Groves said if convicted, a fine would result, plus the violator must register his vehicle legally.

“You’re better off just going and doing it” before being cited, Groves said.

Cherokee County Attorney John Bullard, the county prosecutor, said the fine is usually about $250 to $300. He said most of the violators have registered their vehicles in Oklahoma. Registration is based on where the person lives, he said.

“This is something I totally support,” Bullard said of the sheriff’s effort.

Galena police Chief Larry Delmont also said he supported the effort. He said he also has heard from residents saying they needed to register their vehicles in Kansas before they were cited.

“If you live in Kansas, do not try to rip off the state of Kansas,” Delmont said. “I support the sheriff all the way on this. We need our money in the state of Kansas. It does a lot more than people realize.”

Groves said it is sometimes difficult to determine if a vehicle is registered illegally. He said it often is revealed during traffic stops and sometimes with traffic accidents.

He said sometimes people inform the Sheriff’s Department about suspected violators. He said if an investigation determines the person to be in violation, they are provided with a warning notification, requesting they voluntarily comply with the law.

“We don’t want to give people tickets,” Groves said. “We want people to go up and do what they need to do.”





Costs

Total cost of registration, property taxes and associated fees for a 2008 Toyota Corolla:

Ottawa County, Oklahoma: $91.

Cherokee County, Kansas: $246.55.

Joplin, Missouri: $213.09.

Sources: Oklahoma Tax Commission, Cherokee County Treasurer’s Office, Missouri Department of Revenue, Jasper County (Mo.) Assessor’s Office.