Early sales of Support Our Troops plate slow (Printed Nov. 16, 2007)
By James V. Horrigan
Staff Writer
You can still tie a yellow ribbon ‘round the old oak tree, but beginning this month there is another way for Mainers to stand behind American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, the new “Support Our Troops” license plate.
Although it debuted at the start of November, town excise agent Liz Hernandez says the new plate – the twentieth now available to the owners of passenger vehicles – has not gen-erated much interest among the residents of Scarborough.
But Hernandez is ready if it does.
“They send us ten of any new plate. Nobody’s gotten one yet but I’ve got them all set for the system,” Hernandez said.
She downplayed the apparent lack of enthusiasm for the “Support Our Troops” plate and compared it to the sluggish start in October of the last specialty plate, encouraging Mainers to support local agriculture.
“That was slow, too. It wasn’t until the second, almost third week, before people started coming in,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez wouldn’t say if she thought it had anything to do with the fact that the new “Ag plate”, with its black letters and numbers over an orange, yellow, blue and green background looks more suited to Arizona than Maine.
She stressed however that the design of the new Support Our Troops plate, based on the general-issue “Chickadee” plate, with an image of a yellow ribbon superimposed on a silhouette of the state, is more traditional and familiar.
Originally sponsored by Rep. Donald E. Pilon (D-Saco), the legislation establishing the Support Our Troops plate was signed into law last June by Gov. John Baldacci.
Unlike some other specialty plates, a provision was waived requiring that 2,000 vehicle owners sign up in advance before the plate could be manufactured.
Like other specialty plates, there is an additional $20 fee on top of the standard $25 registration fee. Ten dollars from each plate will go into a special fund to assist members of the Maine National Guard and their families, as well as residents of the state who serve in the Armed Forces Reserves, with emergencies and other special needs.
A nine-member Advisory Board, appointed by the governor, in consultation with the state Adjutant General, will oversee distribution of the funds.
The board represents the interests of the Maine National Guard, Maine residents in the Armed Forces Reserves, and the general public. In addition, the Adjutant General himself will sit on the Advisory Board, along with one member each of the House and Senate.
Scarborough residents who would like one of the new plates can stop by the excise office at town hall and see Hernandez or a member of her staff.
Staff Writer
You can still tie a yellow ribbon ‘round the old oak tree, but beginning this month there is another way for Mainers to stand behind American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, the new “Support Our Troops” license plate.
Although it debuted at the start of November, town excise agent Liz Hernandez says the new plate – the twentieth now available to the owners of passenger vehicles – has not gen-erated much interest among the residents of Scarborough.
But Hernandez is ready if it does.
“They send us ten of any new plate. Nobody’s gotten one yet but I’ve got them all set for the system,” Hernandez said.
She downplayed the apparent lack of enthusiasm for the “Support Our Troops” plate and compared it to the sluggish start in October of the last specialty plate, encouraging Mainers to support local agriculture.
“That was slow, too. It wasn’t until the second, almost third week, before people started coming in,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez wouldn’t say if she thought it had anything to do with the fact that the new “Ag plate”, with its black letters and numbers over an orange, yellow, blue and green background looks more suited to Arizona than Maine.
She stressed however that the design of the new Support Our Troops plate, based on the general-issue “Chickadee” plate, with an image of a yellow ribbon superimposed on a silhouette of the state, is more traditional and familiar.
Originally sponsored by Rep. Donald E. Pilon (D-Saco), the legislation establishing the Support Our Troops plate was signed into law last June by Gov. John Baldacci.
Unlike some other specialty plates, a provision was waived requiring that 2,000 vehicle owners sign up in advance before the plate could be manufactured.
Like other specialty plates, there is an additional $20 fee on top of the standard $25 registration fee. Ten dollars from each plate will go into a special fund to assist members of the Maine National Guard and their families, as well as residents of the state who serve in the Armed Forces Reserves, with emergencies and other special needs.
A nine-member Advisory Board, appointed by the governor, in consultation with the state Adjutant General, will oversee distribution of the funds.
The board represents the interests of the Maine National Guard, Maine residents in the Armed Forces Reserves, and the general public. In addition, the Adjutant General himself will sit on the Advisory Board, along with one member each of the House and Senate.
Scarborough residents who would like one of the new plates can stop by the excise office at town hall and see Hernandez or a member of her staff.
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