Glitch Prints Dog Tag Info On Car Decal Notices

By Jane DeGeorge

Published: March 13, 2008

Some Madison County residents may have received some funny looking car decal notices this year, according to officials.

A software company that created the county’s electronic car decal application file mistakenly included residents’ dog tag information on the car decal license applications, according to Madison County Treasurer Stephanie Murray. These incorrect forms were sent to some county residents along with the correctly printed car decal license applications.

“The file that they created for our decal notices included dog tag information in error,” Murray said.

Dog tag information, including a resident’s dog’s name and the price of a dog tag, was inserted on the lines of the standard car decal form.
Although the treasurer’s office has apologized for the error and asked those who received these forms to disregard them, the slip-up may have been useful for some, according to Murray.

“Some people said they liked it because it reminded them to get their [dog] tags,” she said.

Typically the county does not mail out dog tag application forms, according to Murray. These forms may have been sent to residents who had already purchased a 2008 dog tag, she said.

County decal license applications are due by the close of business Monday, March 31, the day the 2007 decals expire. The 2008 decals must be displayed on vehicles starting April 1.

The costs of county decals are:

• $25 for automobiles (including vans and sport utility vehicles), trucks and motor homes.

• $10 for motorcycles.

• $7.50 for both travel and utility trailers.

In past years, some town residents have mistakenly received both county and town car decal notices, although town residents are only required to pay the town for car decals, not the county. A previous company in charge of the decal mailings would receive county residents’ information directly from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Many town residents had mistakenly checked the box that says “garaged in Madison County” rather than “in the Town of Madison,” when registering a car, leading to the mix-up, officials said.

Shortly before 2007’s decal mailing, county officials said they were working to solve this issue by sorting the mailings by address. Officials had also requested the town forward a list of its residents who had purchased town decals to the county treasurer’s office in order to compare the list with car owners they were awaiting payment from.
Both Murray and Town Clerk Barbara Roach said that they believe this problem has been resolved, as neither has heard of any town residents receiving county decals applications this year.

The town of Madison recently mailed out its car decal notices, which are due by the close of business March 31, the day the 2007 decals expire. The 2008 town decals must be displayed on vehicles starting April 1.

The costs of town decals are:

• $25 for automobiles (including vans and sport utility vehicles), trucks and motor homes.

• $10 for motorcycles.

• $7.50 for both travel and utility trailers.

Madison County officials are once again considering eliminating the use of car decals, according to Board of Supervisors Chairman Eddie Dean. If the county were to eliminate the use of decals, the cost of a decal would be included in residents’ personal property and real estate taxes, Dean said.

“It would save the county from mailing these out and save people the inconvenience of having to get the decals,” the chairman said. “It’s been something people have been asking for.”

County car decals serve a few purposes for officials, including identifying residents in order to use the transfer station.

The supervisors chairman has also previously mentioned the use of decals as method of regulating payment of taxes. If a resident goes into the treasurer’s office to purchase a decal and their personal property taxes are not current, the individual is prohibited from purchasing a new decal, he has said.

County officials have not yet discussed details regarding how these issues would be dealt with if the decals were discontinued, Dean said.
For information or to purchase a county car decal, call the Madison County Treasurer’s Office at (540) 948-4409.

For information or to purchase a town car decal, call the Madison Town Office at (540) 948-3202.