🚀 go-pugleaf

On dc.general, sbayles@mwunix.mitre.org (Scott Bayles) posts:
 > 
 > As I drive in Northern VA during rush hour every day, I see an incredible
 > amount of cars with Maryland tags. For example, at 6:30 in the morning I
 > will pull out of my subdivision and immediately see a few MD tags. I
 > realize a few of the people on Rt7 legitimately come down from Rt15, but I
 > can't believe that *ALL* these cars are doing this.
 >
 > I've heard one explanation that property taxes are cheaper, and something
 > about easier or no emissions/safety inspections. What are the real reasons
 > that people live in Virginia and register their cars in Maryland??? Does 
 > it save that much money??

1.  They own property in Maryland.  DMV won't let you register your
car without a Maryland address unless you can prove you own property
there.

#pragma MyOpinion(On,FullBlast)

1a. Maryland is a nicer place to live than Northern Virginia.  It
doesn't cost nearly as much, and the state doesn't have some of the
goofy bass-ackwards laws Virginia does.  And before you flame the tar
out of me, I've lived and worked in Northern Virginia _and_ Maryland.
(Maryland's big drawback right now is its Governor, but that situation
will change eventually.)

#pragma MyOpinion(Off)

2.  Local income taxes are collected on your state tax return, meaning
no trips to county offices which are never open except when you need
to be at work.  There is no "personal property" tax in Maryland, so
you still pay your fair share if you make $250,000 a year and drive a
beat up '75 B210.  (In other words, you're only taxed on the basis on
your income, not how you spend it.)

3.  No annual inspection.  That doesn't bother me too much, 'cause I
take care of my car.  But I've already put two cars through VA
inspection that should have failed miserably.  Maryland requires a
stem-to-stern inspection before a car changes hands.  If the buyer
waives inspection, the seller isn't responsible for it.

4.  Route 7 is a main artery, and there's plenty of MD traffic that
comes off of 15.

						- Mark

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: Mark A. Feit, Software Engineer : Internet: feit@era.com          :
: Engineering Research Associates : USENET: ...!uunet!era!feit      :
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 "Software development is 10% science, 25% ingenuity and 65% getting
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