As other counties in the state are considering raising vehicle registration fees an additional $15 a year or have already done so, Lawrence County’s engineer says that won’t happen here unless the residents want it.

Recently county engineers and commissioners in Fairfield and Licking counties said they are considering adding $15 more on the state registration fee to help fund road and bridge repairs.

Counties can put up to $15 more on top of the annual state registration fee of $34.50. Townships and municipalities can also put on additional fees as long as the total in extra fees does not exceed $20 per vehicle.

Right now Lawrence County has not levied any additional charges on the license plate fee. But five townships have put an additional $5 on the state registration fee.

“We are one of 20 counties that do not do that,” Lawrence County Engineer Doug Cade said. “Licking and Fairfield are looking to do that before July 1 to have the money (for road improvements).”

In Licking County that additional $15 would bring in $850,000 a year. In Fairfield the extra fee would add about $428,000 annually.

“There is a movement in a lot of counties,” Cade said. “We are not considering it unless the public would want it. I don’t believe in raising people’s taxes by the raising of a wand.”

The county commission would have to authorize increasing the fee and if it did it would be dedicated exclusively for paving and other improvements of county and township roads and bridges.

Not all of the $15 would go entirely to the county; portions of the fee would go to townships and municipalities.