Residents of the Empire State are not shy about voicing their opinion when it comes to their state government, and the recent imbroglio concerning a potential new license plate is no exception.  At issue was last week’s announcement that all New Yorkers would be forced to pony up $25 to pay for a newly designed license plate, starting in April 2010.  The new plates were projected to bring an additional $260 million into the state’s cash-strapped coffers.

But the people have spoken, and now it appears that Governor David A. Paterson is ready to rescind the plan, as long as the state legislature can find another way to make up for the revenue.  What Gov. Patterson didn’t want to admit, but what I know to be the truth, is that he could ill afford the PR black eye of having his state knocked out of the #3 spot in my 2007 countdown of the most attractive U.S. license plates.

So putting aside any political considerations, how about the new design?

I’d have to see an actual physical plate to make a final determination, but I’m mixed on this.  I do like the somewhat retro color scheme, which hearkens back to the one used in the ’70s and early ’80s.  But other than the colors, the design isn’t nearly as creative or striking as the current one.

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