ALBANY, NY — Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro today released the findings of her office’s review of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Political Subdivision Registration and License Plate program, which provides state and local government entity operated vehicles with specialized license plates. The Inspector General found that government officials at all levels across the state exploited DMV’s lack of programmatic oversight to bypass restrictions.
Vehicles assigned to a government entity are required to display license plates that include the name of the respective office, with exemptions for the heads of political subdivisions such as Mayor or County Executives and law enforcement agencies needing unmarked plates.
The program allows the public to readily identify official vehicles and ensure those vehicles are being used appropriately.
The Inspector General’s review found that through lax oversight and inconsistent and confusing instructions, some government officials could wrongfully circumvent the plate requirement. This misuse made it more difficult for the public to verify that taxpayer-funded vehicles were used for government business only and not abused or misappropriated.
“Clearly identifying taxpayer-funded vehicles with the name of the office to which they belong is an important accountability measure,” said Inspector General Tagliafierro. “My office’s investigation found that local government officials across the state circumvented DMV’s restrictions to obtain unmarked plates, and DMV didn’t adequately ensure the integrity of the program. This potentially left publicly funded vehicles vulnerable to misuse.”
The Inspector General’s review of 1,917 exemptions approved by DMV between January 4 and September 20, 2019, revealed that at least 972 (51%) were certified by individuals other than the highest-ranking publicly elected official or highest-level appointed officer.
Inspector General Tagliafierro recommends that DMV consider transferring the responsibility for the issuance of unmarked license plates for use by police and peace officers from the political subdivision program to the Division of Field Investigation, which has stricter controls in place to ensure a more rigorous review of applicants, curtail abuse, and reduce confusion.
The Inspector General also recommends that DMV consider establishing a hotline, email and/or website to report suspected misuse of a government vehicle operated by a New York State or municipal employee.