Where was the economist with this policy?

Okay this bill really irks me. It may be a small thing, but it shows how instead of tackling real budgetary issues, legislators are picking at small programs with little monetary payoffs but may come with big bragging rights around election day.

Case in point, Utah House Bill 206 which will eliminate all special license plates devoted to fund raising for groups like University scholarships funds, Boy Scouts, etc. This newly passed bill requires that the DMV axe any plate that does not sell at least 1000 registrations.

How much money will this save the state? Is this the magic cure that will fix any structural imbalance? Well how does $400 a year right back to the state's coffers sound. Wow, forget CHIP, teachers' unions and the like. Wisconsin I found your answer!

Now the economist in me takes over. What about the opportunity cost or forgone income that may come from the sale of these plates. Well, here is sampling:
This plate comes with a donation of $25 to the Division of Wildlife Resources which is funded out of the State Budget.

This plate donates $25 to the Utah Association of Public Education Foundation which uses the money to buy school supplies for K-12 kids which otherwise would be paid for by (you guessed it) the state budget.




Here donors give $25 to their respective college and universities' scholarship funds which are used to educate our future workforce and thus generate more revenue for (drum roll please) the state budget!

So if you do the math, you will find that if at least 16 total Utahns buy these plates the state comes out even.

But no fear this plate was saved:

Which allows allows a state legislator to break the speed limit when they are late to the session. Which reduces speeding tickets issued by the highway patrol and thus reduces funds to the state budget!