Dear Action Line: My neighbor who works locally and has lived next to me for over five years still has out-of-state plates, not even New Mexico. Why are people in Durango driving around with out-of-state plates when they live and work in Durango? Don't they understand that pays for our roads? Or are they just cheapskates? Why doesn’t the law do anything about it? I see more out-of-state plates than Colorado plates in employee parking. Seems like our roads could use the funding. – N.A. Burr
Dear N.A.: Whoah. Whoah. Whoah! Wait, what’s this? You’re not supposed to shop around for the state with the cheapest license plate registration fees? Being a cheapskate is so hard sometimes.
Now, to be serious, which is sometimes difficult in this space, Action Line is joking. There’s no excuse for not registering the vehicle in the state where you live and work. It’s just bad form and makes enemies, as is obvious from the question here.
And one other minor detail: It’s illegal and could even get you thrown in jail.
“New Mexico has much lower registration fees, so people try to register there to avoid our fees,” said Tiffany Lee, La Plata County’s clerk and recorder. “I agree with the concerned citizen that this is wrong and drivers should be contributing to their home county. It is an issue we see, and unfortunately, I do not have a specific solution.”
Lee said the clerk and recorder’s office does not enforce this, but if a complaint comes its way, the office refers the complainant to “the appropriate law enforcement agency.”
In La Plata County, that’s generally the sheriff’s office. Keep in mind that someone could have houses in two places.
“If they maintain a residence in that state they may be able to stay registered,” said Sgt. Chris Burke with the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office. “If they don’t have a house there, they are required to register in Colorado.”
Action Line paid a visit to the state of Colorado’s Department of Revenue website for the Division of Motor Vehicles. (This page is most pertinent: dmv.colorado.gov/new-to-colorado.) Once you become a Colorado resident – you’ve lived here three months and are “gainfully” employed – you have three months to register your vehicle in Colorado. You have just a month to get a driver’s license.
“The registered (vehicle) owner must register within 90 days of becoming a resident,” Burke said. “A fine or jail can be imposed.”
The jail thing is pretty rare, but would be a major inconvenience. At least it might make your neighbor happy.
Dear Action Line: I seem to remember an extra sweet event that would happen two or three times a year in Durango in which Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory would sell its not-quite-perfect creations at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Whatever happened to that? – Sweet Tooth
Dear Tooth: Well, the good news is that Action Line is now stocked up on chocolate.
The bad news … Well, first, just be prepared: this is going to sting a little. The bad news is that the sale was Saturday the 17th.
Sorry.
Nobody’s fault. Just bad timing. You didn’t provide a return email, so Action Line can only hope you got the word in time. There were ads in this newspaper, a barker on Main Avenue, colored balloons leading the way to the Durango Mall. Or at least one of those three. It was noisy and all your friends were there.
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory’s one-day “second-quality” or “bloomer” sale was held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
“While we took a little break from our ‘Bloomer Sale’ during the pandemic, it’s officially back,” said Kelsea Ferrato, director of marketing for the international company based in Durango. “We’ve moved locations (from the Fairgrounds) to the Durango Mall in the old JC Penney building and we’re excited to share our not-quite-perfect, but perfectly delicious, treats at a discount with the community again.”
Possible good news, but you can’t put it on your calendar yet, is that there might be another Bloomer Sale coming in February, Ferrato said. Details to come.
Email questions and suggestions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. Mmm, Sugar Mountain.
