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Ellis County treasurer says vehicle-registration fee on governor's desk could shift staffing funding
Summary
At an April 8 county retreat, Treasurer Vern Ruder told commissioners a bill on the governor's desk that would automatically add a $2.50 vehicle-registration fee (possibly up to $5) could allow the Motor Vehicle fund to cover most of his staff costs and substantially reduce his general-fund budget needs.
At the Ellis County Commission retreat on April 8 in Lindsborg, Treasurer Vern Ruder flagged a bill on the governor's desk that would automatically add a $2.50 fee to vehicle registration paperwork and said the fee could be increased to $5. Ruder told commissioners that if enacted the Motor Vehicle fund could cover most of his office's staffing costs, which he said would significantly decrease his county general-fund request for the coming budget cycle.
County Administrator Darin Myers presented the county's five-year capital plan for roads and buildings during the same session and framed the registration fee discussion as one of several near-term revenue items the county is watching. Commissioners did not take formal action at the retreat; the discussion was advisory and intended to inform budget planning. Ruder's comments were presented as a potential revenue shift rather than a confirmed funding change, and any effect would depend on whether the governor signs the bill and the final fee amount.
