On a single plot in rural Maine, a slew of Rhode Island car registrations

[TexasTowelie]

It sure must be cozy out in the woods of Jefferson, Maine.

On a shady lot near Damariscotta Lake State Park, nearly four hours north of Providence, there’s a curious situation — at least 200 personal vehicles owned by Providence residents are all registered there.

Pull back the lens and the problem is larger than it appears. Police began their investigation with an initial list of 3,500 vehicles, trailers, and motorcycles that the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles said carry Rhode Island addresses, including a total of 253 in Providence, said Providence police Major Michael E. Correia.

The practice is a wink-and-nod method for some Rhode Islanders, and other out-of-staters, to get out of paying comparatively higher sales and excise taxes and car insurance.

Providence police officer Mac Field made this discovery last spring, when he noticed a growing number of Maine license plates on vehicles parked all around the city, and then he investigated the ones attached to Providence addresses, Correia said.

Read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/rhode-island/2019/06/12/single-plot-rural-maine-slew-rhode-island-car-registrations/QzGhzLMze5nVydffDK7ZqL/story.html

[Fla Dem]

1. Smh. The length people go to break the law and cheat their local and state governments.

[justhanginon]

2. I am wondering their insurance companies can declare their

policies invalid in case of an accident because of the use of fraudulent information to obtain the policy.

[SWBTATTReg]

3. We have the same problem here in MO (STL) in that quite a few will go to Illinois to get...

their cars licensed there. I think IL has increased its fees so this practice may fade away. We have notified the police when we see an IL license plate and they are living in STLMO...they have a time limit in transferring their registration to MO (I am not sure what the time frame is), but the city police have cracked down on this practice.

It is unfair to those of us who do the right thing (license and register in MO if you live in MO). Simply to avoid paying your fair share of taxes and/or fees. So I don't feel bad what-so-ever if I catch a tax/fee dodger ... it just keeps my taxes lower (hopefully).