El Paso dealers, tax assessor press county for fixes after HB 718 shift creates title backlog

El Paso County dealers and the county tax assessor told the Commissioner's Court on Sept. 22 that a state law change — referenced in the meeting as House Bill 718 — has shifted responsibilities and produced a backlog of vehicle title and registration work that is delaying transactions, costing tax revenue and threatening some dealerships' lines of credit.

The dispute came to a head during the meeting's discussion of item 7a, an agenda entry described as "HB 718 and the county tax assessor's office," when dealers and the tax assessor presented conflicting descriptions of available capacity and possible short‑term fixes. "We are here because House Bill 7 18 has created a significant challenge, not only for dealers, but also for the county itself," said Eduardo Anaya, owner of Anaya Motors, during public comment.

Why it matters: dealerships rely on timely registration and plates to get vehicles to buyers and to protect dealer floor‑plan financing. County revenues — sales taxes and registration fees that flow through the tax assessor's office — depend on timely processing. County leaders said the backlog has resulted in lost tax collections and an urgent need for staffing or process fixes.

At the public podium, several dealers gave specific examples of disruption. Dealer representatives said 750 licensed dealers operate in El Paso County. A group of dealers provided internal tallies they said show months of uncollected…