Personalized License Plates/Special Plates Raise $37.5 Million for Worthy Causes
11 December 2000
Personalized License Plates/Special Plates Raise $37.5 Million for Worthy Causes
Business/News Editors
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--Dec. 10, 2000--Motorists
contributed $37.5 million to worthy causes during the 1999-2000 fiscal
year via the personalized and specialized license plates available
from the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Personalized plates were the most popular, generating $27.9
million for the Environmental License Plate Fund, which is
administered by the California Resources Agency to pay for the
acquisition of key environmental habitats and support other wildlife
protection activities. Motorists pay $40 for the personalized plates
and then $25/year at renewal time.
California has the following special plates: Arts, Firefighters,
Kids, Lake Tahoe, Olympic Training Center, UCLA, Veterans, Coastal
Cleanup (Whale Tail) and Yosemite. Of the specialized plates the
Yosemite plate generated the most income with $2.6 million in income.
The Arts plate, which costs less, became the most popular plate last
year with 66,366 plates sold.
Motorists can obtain more information about purchasing special and
personal license plates by logging on to the DMV web site at
www.dmv.ca.gov. The site links to a database of existing personalized
plates where motorists can determine if their desired configuration is
available.
The DMV licenses drivers, maintains driving records; registers and
tracks official ownership of vehicles and vessels; investigates auto
and identity related fraud; and licenses car dealers, driving schools
and traffic violator schools. The department is under the direction of
Secretary Maria Contreras-Sweet and the Business, Transportation and
Housing Agency.
Additional information, forms and the California Driver Handbook
are on the DMV Web site at www. dmv.ca.gov. The Business,
Transportation and Housing Agency can be reached on the Internet at
www.bth.ca.gov.
Note to Editors: All of the participants involved in the license
plate program are prepared to help your staff prepare a feature
article on this unique fundraising program. See contact list at the
end of this release.
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Personalized & Special Plate Sales
---------------- ------- ----------- -------- ------------------------
Number FY '99-00 Cost/
Plate Sold Income Renewal Beneficiary
---------------- ------- ----------- -------- ------------------------
Personalized 915,914 $27,850,327 $40(a) Environmental License
/$25 Plate Fund
---------------- ------- ----------- -------- ------------------------
Arts 66,366 $ 1,672,141 $30/$15 Arts education, local
art projects
---------------- ------- ----------- -------- ------------------------
Fire Fighters 13,457 $ 383,974 $35/$20 Firefighters Memorial
Fund
---------------- ------- ----------- -------- ------------------------
Kids 54,878 $ 1,544,930 $20/$15 Child Health & Safety
Fund
---------------- ------- ----------- -------- ------------------------
Lake Tahoe 19,493 $ 894,301 $50/$40 Preserve & enhance Lake
Tahoe
---------------- ------- ----------- -------- ------------------------
Olympic Training 6,927 $ 95,354 $50/$30 Olympic Training Center
---------------- ------- ----------- -------- ------------------------
UCLA 3,198 $ 128,471 $50/$40 Scholarships
---------------- ------- ----------- -------- ------------------------
Veterans 18,934 $ 411,554 $30/$30 Veterans Service Office
Fund
---------------- ------- ----------- -------- ------------------------
Whale Tail 41,492 $ 1,984,599 $50/$40 Coastal restoration
projects(b)
---------------- ------- ----------- -------- ------------------------
Yosemite 63,824 $ 2,613,964 $50/$40 Yosemite Foundation
Fund(b)
---------------- ------- ----------- -------- ------------------------
(a) Plus $1 reflectorized plate fee.
(b) A portion of proceeds goes to the Environmental License Plate Fund
that purchases habitat and supports environmental research.
Contacts:
----------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
Organization Contact Media Contact Number
----------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
DMV Evan Nossoff 916/657-6437
----------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
Resources Agency Stanley Young 916/653-5792
----------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
California Arts Council Adam Gottleib 916/322-6588
----------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
California Coastal Commission Chris Parry 415/905-5208
----------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
California Dept. of Veterans Glen Halsey 916/653-2573
Affairs
----------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
California Professional Carroll Wills 916/921-9111 ext. 252
Firefighters
----------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
Lake Tahoe Conservancy Ryan Davis 530/542-5580 ext. 117
----------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
Kids Plate Stephen Hopcraft 916/457-5546
----------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
Olympic Training Richard Ritts 916/443-0400
----------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
UCLA Kit Spikings 310/206-0613
----------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
Yosemite Foundation Karl Kroeber 415/434-1782
----------------------------- ---------------- ---------------------