Wayne County to hold hearings on proposed $5 license plate tax

The Wayne County engineer has requested that the commissioners hold two public hearings regarding a proposed $5 permissive license plate tax aimed at funding critical road full-depth rehabilitation.

The hearings will take place April 29 and May 6, immediately following the commissioners’ regular sessions that begin at 9 a.m. Both hearings will be held in the Wayne County commissioners’ meeting room on the second floor of the Wayne County Administration Building, located at 428 W. Liberty St., Wooster, and are open to the public.

The tax, authorized by state legislation, would generate approximately $700,000 annually to address the county’s deteriorating roads. With 81 miles of county roads in poor condition, the new funds will be dedicated specifically to full-depth reclamation, a comprehensive process designed to restore the roads to safe, reliable conditions.

The proposed fee would be assessed to all vehicles registered in Wayne County, including commercial and fleet vehicles. This fee would be collected annually at the time of vehicle registration and would apply starting July 1, 2027, if approved.

The Wayne County Engineer’s Office does not receive funds from the county’s general budget or from property taxes. Instead, it is funded by gas taxes and license plate fees, making this additional fee essential to ensuring the county’s roads remain functional and safe.