By: Momma on 4/22/09
Roo-Roo! Rockvale Rockets!!

By: LilAudrey on 4/22/09
Go Ravens? No way. Nevermore with that idea.

By: mypopculture on 4/22/09
We have to show our utility bill when we register our kids to prove residency (for appropriate school zone), so why not show the vehicle registration with a matching address? The only flaw I can anticipate is how you respond to a parent who claims their family does not own a vehicle.

And, yes they should have been the Rockets from day one. Somebody (or lots of somebodies) made a big mistake.

By: Farmall on 4/22/09
So what are the illegals going to show?

By: Geana on 4/22/09
mypopculture, I don't think that should a problem. Those who claim they don't own vehicles are going to have to provide a physical address for their children to be picked up and dropped off by buses, which most of them do anyway.

The obvious way for the county to get this wheel tax situation resolved is lobby the state to disallow counties to allow renewals from outside their county. Or allow it but have the those counties verify the residential addresses so that the renewals will be charged the same amount, and provided the same stickers as their issuing county would. A little more incentive to get those counties to participate... is to allow them to charge an additional $5 fee over and above the residential rates. Not $1 but $5.

Apparently the only reason these people renew out of county is to save money. They won't be too pleased to find out not only will they pay the same amount, but another $5. See how quickly they return to their own counties to save that $5 bucks.

By: titansone on 4/22/09
Geana, you have some good thoughts, but our current state law requires every county clerk to verify the proper address of any registrant. See Department of Revenue notice 8-15 at their website: http://tn.gov/revenue/notices/countyclerks/08-15.pdf.

So if the statute requires it and it's not being done, there's a couple of things going on - all clerks are not enforcing the law properly and, because of this, people are running to another county to get a better deal.

Solution: Penalize the county clerks who do not perform this duty properly. When this happens, it will stop, or at least slow down. No teeth = marginal compliance.

By: Dave42 on 4/23/09
Solution: Tell the county to be honest and repeal it like they promised to do over 40 years ago. This is one of those temorary taxes that just got bigger and bigger.

By: 0be1 on 4/23/09
So does this mean since our kids are home schooled I get to pay less taxes :o)

The county needs to be held accountable to the money they spend and all of this build it and they will come mentality needs to stop. Building more malls and other places for crimes to increase is not the answer.

Education is very important, the teachers deserve (in my opinion) much more than what they get, just look at what they have to put up with!! Camera's on the buses, GREAT ideas, but home long and how many bad situations had to happen before that took place?

As far as paying taxes and keeping our money in the county, I'm all for it. As for doing it with things like high wheel taxes and other trickery, phooey!!

If they would learn to build schools on sites that can be expanded upon over time (additional land there for growth) would make more sense then building overcrowded schools that they say will last 10 years and they last two.

Do I have to do your thinking for you with my tax dollars? Get your heads out of the dollar signs and get this mess straightened up quick before Murfreesboro turns out to be the next Nashville.

By: JM325 on 4/23/09
The Rockvale Rockets = the elementary school (K-5).
The Rockvale Ravens = the middle school (6-8)
I don't understand exactly why there is such a fuss. The students are Rockets for 6 years and Ravens for 3.

By: G33K-Chik on 4/23/09
If I understand this correctly, people are taking their vehicles to other counties to register them where the wheel tax is lower or does not exist? I think the idea of showing license, utility bill, and proof of paid wheel tax when registering a child at public school is a good idea then. It would prove if anyone is dodging paying the wheel tax by registering in another county.

Personally, I homeschool my children and we are a one vehicle family. I don't mind paying the wheel tax because I know the county needs it. I am an active citizen that voices my opinion to legislators concerning what happens to tax dollars. If I pay them, I have a right to say what happens to them.