Mar 16, 2016 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – The Greene County commissioners are expected to add a $5 fee on all registered vehicles to help pay for various bridge projects in the county.

If approved, as expected during their 10 a.m. voting meeting today at the county office building, the additional registration fee would apply to more than 38,000 vehicles registered in Greene County.

The commissioners voted unanimously during their Wednesday morning workshop meeting to place the fee on the agenda for approval.

The fee, which will be automatically added to the state’s $36 registration cost beginning in July, would raise nearly $200,000 annually for transportation infrastructure projects.

The additional fee is permitted under the state’s Act 89 transportation funding law passed in 2013 that removed the cap on the Oil Company Franchise Tax. Nearly 10 counties across state, including Allegheny County, have opted to levy the additional $5 fee.

Commissioner Archie Trader said they have heard some complaints, but that residents also told them they preferred the registration fee increase instead of a property tax increase.

The commissioners said the fee would help them to avert a property tax increase and since the revenue will make up for the loss of Act 26 funding used for county bridges.

“It allows the burden to be off the property taxpayer,” Commissioner Dave Coder said. “It’s just another pot of money to help us.”

The money most likely will be used for various bridge projects across the county. However, the revenue can also be used for other infrastructure projects, including improvements to the Greene County airport, Coder said.