illinois to consider selling ads on license plates...

unbelievable:

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/political-fix/article_86...



SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Would you drive around with a logo for Coke, McDonald's or Nike on your license plate?

What if the state knocked a few bucks off your annual plate registration fee?

That's the concept behind a bill pending in the Illinois Legislature that would essentially turn the state's cars into rolling billboards for corporate sponsors, as a way of raising money for cash-strapped state. Drivers who agree to it will get a break on their annual plate fee, with the corporation making up the difference and then some, so the state comes out ahead.

``Everyone wins,'' says state Sen. John Mulroe, D-Chicago, the bill's sponsor.

The numbers are still in flux, and we don't know yet which corporations might be interested in participating. (The ones mentioned above are hypotheticals.)

Mulroe gave an example of a possible $15 reduction to Illinois drivers from their $99 annual plate registration fee. The participating corporation would cover the state's $15 loss, and pay an additional amount--maybe $25. The additional cash would be split between the state and a private contractor that would administer the program, so there wouldn't be any cost to the state.

Even if the whole program flops, ``it doesn't cost the state anything,'' said Mulroe, since the risk would be entirely on the contractor and the corporations.

Is there a downside? One, potentially: It would add to the plethora of different license plate designs in Illinois, which has been a controversy before because it can make it more difficult for police to quickly identify an Illinois plate.

The bill is SB1360.

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