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Vote on driver responsibility fee expected in House

By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network

LANSING, MI – Michigan's unpopular Driver Responsibility Fee, which is assessed annually for people with seven or more points on their license, may soon be repealed. The state House is expected to vote soon on a bill that would get rid of the fee in 2012.

Bill Ballenger is the editor of the Inside Michigan Politics newsletter. He says the fee was originally approved by the Legislature to make roads safer and generate revenue.

"And the idea what where can we reach out and get some extra money?'" Ballenger says. "And so this is something they hit upon, and they thought, we can kill two birds with one stone.' Well it just hasn't worked out as they thought or hoped it would. And I think a lot of people with cooler heads at the time thought you know, this is just not a good idea.'"

Lawmakers who helped approve the fee several years ago say they agree it has done more harm than good. However, the fee brings in enough money to the state that it has been difficult for the Legislature to get rid of it.

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