QUESTION: It looks like Calexico City Manager Ralph Velez is evading the law and perhaps looking for another way to go back to Arizona.
If you notice the white Ford pickup he drives, it still has Arizona plates since last year.
Does Velez not know that vehicle registration fees are due immediately upon accepting employment or establishing residency in the state of California? — Committed Resident, Calexico
We could not get ahold of Officer Wes Boerner, the California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer, so we took a gander at the Web site you listed: http://www.chp.ca.gov/prog/cheaters.cgi
According to the site — the official Web page of the Highway Patrol — the CHP is asking California residents to tell them of any offenders of the state vehicle registration laws.
The page containing information on the program, which is called CHEATERS (Californians Help Eliminate All The Evasive Registration Scofflaws), confirmed that “vehicle registration fees are due immediately upon accepting employment or establishing residency in the state of California.”
In addition, the site says that “California law permits only 20 days to complete the process of registering your vehicle without paying a penalty.”
When asked about the situation, Ralph Velez said he was told when he first came to Calexico that he could keep his Arizona plates for a while.
“When I first got here, I was told I could have dual plates,” Velez said. “Whether it’s right or wrong, I don’t know.”
Velez said his Arizona plates expire in September, but now that he is aware of the law he may consider getting California plates sooner than then.
“If the question is ‘Do I have a California plate?’ the answer is no,” he said. “Was I aware of the law? No.”
To contact PROBE, send your question by e-mail to probe@ivpressonline.com or by standard mail: Imperial Valley Press, ATTN: PROBE, 205 N. 8th St., El Centro, CA 92243.
" Dual plates? so wheres the dual part? according to him he knew he had to have 2 plates. California and Arizona. He had the AZ but never got he CA. I dont believe him. I have never seen a passenger car with 2 plates. Oh and ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
"
cbulldogs2004 wrote on Jun 20, 2007 8:20 PM:
" Clean up Calexico, that is the only thing i can say! "
rlsciaky wrote on Jun 20, 2007 7:30 PM:
" Like Garth said "Get over it, find someone new and move on...".
You people are wasting a lot of emotion and energy on something that affects you not at all. Try cleaning up Calexico first... "
mariana2279 wrote on Jun 20, 2007 12:11 PM:
" " its sad how many ignorant people are in this world and its sad that laws obviously wont stop them. Regardless on how many things we said or even if we tell people that there are little kids with parents watching R- rated movies it wont make a change due to the ignorance of the parents. Would police get involved? trust me they wont unless the ignorant mom decides to start a fight with you just because you are telling her how to be a mom. so why waste your time. I've been to the movies various times. I've seen many R-rated movies and not only that i've seen couples with babies.. yes I said babies watching 300 (very loud) for a baby and the hills have eyes. Do you think it makes me mad yes.. but you know what.. thats their choice.. anyways they will be the ones dealing with their kids once they become low life cholos and with a 13-16yr pregnant daughter asking for Government help.. hey at least thats how the Government will get involved.. any ways this town is full of them. The only hope is to deal with your own issues before judging them. "
wikiscogg wrote on Jun 20, 2007 11:01 AM:
" I agree with hunnybear why should the rest of us pay and for some to get away with it. NOT FAIR. Also I have morals and I would not do the same thing if I was in his shoes. You should do what is right. "
hunnybear85 wrote on Jun 20, 2007 10:46 AM:
" Just so you know, that CHEATERS site is a load of crap. I reported a neighbor once who's had out of state plates for years now and they never did anything about it. But yeah, a lot of people do this. It's not just this guy. It's really not fair that the rest of us have to pay registration fees and some people get away with not doing it. "
cardlady wrote on Jun 20, 2007 8:56 AM:
" Does this website include turning people in who have NOT renewed their California registration tags? I see cars that have 2006 registration tags still on them. "
gymjunkie wrote on Jun 20, 2007 7:53 AM:
" Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Is this guy really a city manager? He can't even manage his own life! "
tyrone wrote on Jun 20, 2007 4:34 AM:
" JSYI, so you do the same in his shoes? I'm sorry if you were not instilled in your upbringing to have morals or be an ethical person but I was. So I would not do the same thing. "
jsyi wrote on Jun 20, 2007 4:01 AM:
" You would do the same thing if you were in his shoes. Lets not get carried away and turn this into pissing match. Politicians and commoners alike...people are people. "
tyrone wrote on Jun 20, 2007 1:52 AM:
" just another politican trying to circumvent the laws that governs us commoners.... "
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probot wrote on Jun 22, 2007 3:16 PM: