Washington has 27 specialty license plates celebrating law
enforcement, snow sports, firefighters, rhododendrons and more. Some
lawmakers think using John Lennon to fight hunger justifies a 28th.
Bipartisan
bills in the House and the Senate aim to create a new license plate and
source of income for Feeding Washington, a nonprofit organization that
supports food banks around the state. The plates would feature a
self-portrait of the former Beatle with the word “imagine” across the
bottom.
Initial revenue will go to the Department of
Licensing to cover the cost of establishing the new plate, but the rest
will go to Feeding Washington. The plates would cost $40 initially with a
$30 renewal fee.
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| Rendering of proposed John Imagine license plate |
“This provides a great opportunity to
provide support across the state to help people live a better life,”
said Michael Towner, special projects director for Imagine License Plate Program. The organization says similar specialty plates in Florida have raise more than $3 million for anti-hunger efforts.
Supporters
needed 3,500 signatures to apply for a new plate design with the state
Department of Licensing, Towner said. They stopped taking signatures
after they reached 4,850.
Sen. Maureen Walsh, R-Walla
Walla, and the Senate bill’s main sponsor, said she’s backing the
proposal to help increase awareness of hunger. The Office of Financial
Management estimated the plates would cost the state $22,600 but would
bring in $79,150 in the 2017-19 budget cycle.
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