Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – Question: What is the “use tax” on vehicle registration for?
Answer: The use tax that is attached to New York State vehicle registration renewal is a fee that has been in place for several years throughout counties in Central New York, except for Cayuga County.
The most recent counties to adopt it were Onondaga and Oneida counties.
The fee is $5 a year for cars that weigh fewer than 3,500 pounds and $10 for SUVs and trucks that weigh more than 3,500 pounds.
The state collects the money, skims some off the top for doing so, and passes the rest onto the counties.
Most county leaders say the money goes into their operating budgets but is primarily devoted to repairing and maintaining roads.
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