MOR $ 4 U

(c) 2010 by Steve Martaindale

It looks like the state of Texas may have found a golden egg in the form of its new, seven-character vehicle license plates.

When the plates expanded from six to seven characters more than a year ago, I thought, “That will open a whole new world of possibilities among those who buy personalized plates.”

Apparently, the state (or its private vending partner, My Plates) figured that out, too, and is not taking orders for seven-character vanity plates.

Why sell them for $40 when you can put highly desired combinations up for auction?

Care to guess how much someone will pay for a plate that says COWBOYS, particularly if it’s on a Dallas Cowboys specialty plate? Under normal pricing, that would be $70. I would not be surprised if bidding starts at 100 times that much.

We’ll find out Jan. 13 when that plate and 32 others go on sale to the highest bidder. To add to the glamour, the auction will take place at Dallas Cowboys Stadium, just 24 days before it hosts Super Bowl XLV.

Other seven-letter professional sports team plates in the auction are RANGERS and MAVS FAN. There’s also TEX4NS and STARS available ... wonder how they kept that out of circulation.

There are also plates for car fanatics – FERRARI, PORSCHE, MUSTANG, 2FAST 4U, NASC4R and FORD 4U.

Don’t think for a second they will shortchange colleges. On the auction block are RAIDERS, GO HORNS, AGGIES1 and even SOONERS.

Good ol’ Texana type plates find representation on the list, including MY TEXAS, BIGTEX, RANCHER, GIDDY UP, HUNTING, FISHING, DALLAS and FT WORTH. Add to those FREEDOM and AMERICA.

Let’s round up the rest with MILLION, DIAMOND, BEST MOM, COOL DAD, BELIEVE and, inexplicably, MICHAEL.

Wait, you say, that’s only 31. Right, there is also a “bidder’s choice” up for auction, giving the winner the right to design his or her own seven-character plate – with approved content, I presume.

Last of all, there is one other personalized plate going on sale and it represents what might become the state’s greatest moneymaker yet. The plate is DRAGONS.

Now, many of you might wonder, “Dragons? What’s so special about that?”

It is designed specifically for the newly approved plate for Southlake Carroll High School.

Yep, in addition to the 26 Texas colleges and universities that have special plates, there are now two high schools, the other being Allen High School.

One can only expect a landslide of other high schools to petition for their own plates. Not only is it great for public awareness and pleasing to alumni and supporters, the schools make a little money off it. And, after all, isn’t that the reason for all of these specialty plates and vanity plates?

In addition to the colleges, there are more than 60 different organization plates available, from Adopt-A-Beach to YMCA. There are even two for alumni associations of foreign colleges – Florida and LSU.

As the state seeks out ways to balance its budget, this is a good way to bring in more money. (We could talk about the option of reducing spending, but that would change the entire tone of this piece.) Call it elective taxation. The exorbitant prices for the auctioned plates will be paid by people willing to do so and, we hope, with the money to spare.

(c) 2010 by Steve Martaindale