Manassas Park to Implement Permanent Vehicle Decals for Residents

Significant changes are on the horizon for the vehicle decal issuance procedure in Manassas Park.

Manassas Park City Council made the decision to instruct staff to create an ordinance to allow for the creation of a permanent decal instead of one that has to be replaced yearly.

The decision was spurred by an emailed received by Councilmen Suhus Naddoni from a Manassas Park resident who questioned the current process.

The matter was discussed in great detail Tuesday during the business meeting of the Manassas Park City Council.

The council agreed with the recommendation of city staff to implement a permanent decal and assessing a licensing fee each year.  This option would take the hassle out of residents having to pay $25, obtain a new sticker and peel off the old, according to staff.

At the same time, the permanent sticker would allow police to continue their discovery efforts and enforce the decal law.

Other options considered by the city were: 1. Eliminating the issuance of the decal and charging a license fee equal to the present decal fee. If this option were implemented, the city would issue a consolidated bill for personal property tax and the licensing fee (decal fee.)

The city also explored a second option of continuing its current manner of conducting business by continuing to issue decals until the, “financial position of the city has become more robust.” This option would allow the city to implement the suggestions in Option 1 as much as possible.

Manassas Park Deputy Police Chief Dean Goodwin, who presented the decal recommendations Tuesday, told the council there are pros and cons associated with each option.

For example, the pros for the city for having a permanent decal is that it frees up staff time, as there would only be a one-time mailing, Goodwin said.

The cons are that there may a loss of revenue through those residents who want to “beat the system or fleece the system” by not getting a decal at all. This could end up costing those who comply more money, Goodwin said.

If the city had no decal at all, there could be a loss of revenue because no tickets could be issued.

Police issued about 321 tickets in 2010. Out of those, 156 were issued on vehicles that didn’t have the city decal.  “They were paid and that generated $15,400.  It’s lucrative for lack of a better word,” he said.

Schools rely on the decal purchase because it is a method making sure children who are registered in Manassas Park City Schools actually live here, according to staff reports.

Goodwin along with Manassas Park Treasurer Winnie O’Neal, Commissioner of Revenue Debbie Wood, City Manager Jim Zumwalt and other staff worked together to research the matter before bringing it before council Tuesday.

Part of their process was looking at how other cities in Virginia handled the decal issuance.

Stay with Patch for more information on other matters discussed at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.