MOTOR VEHICLES
Newcomers face whopping car tax
As president of the Woodstock Chapter of AARP, I get various phone calls and requests for information regarding seniors in the area. Last month, I got a call from a woman who had just moved to Georgia from another state. She was near tears. She couldn’t get her car insurance transferred until she got her Georgia car registration. When she went for the tags and registration, she was told she owed approximately $2,000 to get her license. She was frantic. What was this all about?
I tried to tell her about the new TAV (Title Ad Valorem) tax that was recently passed. My understanding is that if you’re a car owner moving to Georgia, instead of paying an annual ad valorem tax every year, you must pay an upfront sales tax (6.75 percent this year, according to the Georgia Department of Revenue). If a family of four with, say, three cars moved to Georgia, they would have to come up with approximately $6,000 cash. Who can afford that? Furthermore, why is Georgia charging a second sales tax on a vehicle that was bought in another state?
If my assumptions are correct, I think this is a major hardship on anyone wanting to move to Georgia. What can we do about this?
RICH SANFORD, WOODSTOCK
Simple step could boost vehicle safety
I moved to the Atlanta area a little over a year and a half ago. One stark difference I noticed on the road between here and Minneapolis and Chicago, where I lived before, was the ridiculous number of drivers who have a brake light out and, even worse, all of their brake lights out. This includes vehicles and trailers. It truly feels like an epidemic here!
Why is it so hard for drivers to check their brake lights and replace bulbs as needed? Bulbs are not expensive. Replacing bulbs is not rocket science (except for some center lights). It’s the law, and it could save lives. I really feel that the state of Georgia or the Georgia State Police should be putting up ads reminding people to give their car a walk-around from time to time.
NICHOLAS KILDUFF, ATLANTA
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Muslims must act against kidnappers
I agree that the international community should do all it can to rescue the abducted girls in Nigeria. What would be most meaningful would be to see the world’s Muslim leaders and nations follow up their words of “strong condemnation” with REAL action against this group that tarnishes their religion and culture. Send troops, money, resources to join the teams already sent by U.S., Britain, France and China. Their apparent absence from the international effort speaks loudest of all.
SANDY PON, ATLANTA
LEADERSHIP
Blacks should shun a victim mentality
I give kudos to Eric Johnson in his recent, profound and transparent piece “Calling black conservatives” (Opinion, May 8). More blacks need to rise up to deliver fellow blacks who are being repeatedly lied to by the Al Sharptons and Jesse Jacksons of this world. True freedom is being an independent thinker. As blacks, we will begin to successfully combat racism as well as other challenges when we rise above the hapless victim mentality. With God on our side, nothing shall be impossible.
HARRY FUWA, KENNESAW
