Gov backs off new license plate plan

ALBANY - Score one for New York drivers. Gov. Paterson's costly plan for new license plates appears to be off the table.

While the governor says he's willing to back off on the controversial plan, members of his own party are saying the proposal is dead.

Republicans feel it's about time.

A political fiasco -- that's what county clerks and state legislators are calling Paterson's license plate proposal.

"It was a sham and the people who put this in place are the one feeling the pressure now," said Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, R-Glenville.

With a rallying cry of "no new plates," the clerks took their case directly to the Capitol Monday, dropping off boxes of petitions and the signatures of more than 100,000 angry New Yorkers.

Over the weekend, the governor announced he's willing to pull back his license plate proposal as long as the Legislature works to come up with the money some place else.

The new gold and blue plates were expected to generate $129 million for the state -- $25 for new plates, $45 if you wanted to keep your current number.

"I think the governor is finally realizing there are so many people outraged over this. I definitely think he's going to back off on this," Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola said.

But even if the governor doesn't back down, Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari says that plate plan is dead. The Democrat says the Assembly will repeal the law passed in April, essentially putting the breaks on the new plates.

"We heard the outcry," Canestrari said. "It was across the board and we could not go forward with this. It's dead. Glad it's over with."

Canestrari says there will be plenty of time to come up with revenue or make cuts this spring. While no small potatoes, he says in the grand scheme of things, it was $129 million in a $130 billion budget.