2008 Woodie Awards
License change to ease travels
By: Angie Favot
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: News
She said at this point it has not been determined what the licenses will look like.
Larry Sych, associate political science professor, said several states, such as Colorado, are issuing enhanced driver's licenses.
"Secretary Land is very much in support of it, so they believe they can accomplish the intent of the law," he said. "Other states like Washington are adamantly opposed and are saying it's not feasible."
Sych said the law requires documentation verified by the Department of Motor Vehicles or the Secretary of State, and that can be a tremendous amount of work.
"In principle it should work, but it depends all on the states' participation," he said.
Sych said the law originally was a government mandate based on a National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, recommendation.
"The most problematic thing is that this is not funded by the national government," he said. "If they follow the plan ideally it will work, but at cost to the state."
Sych said since Michigan's economy is struggling, there may be no money left for this project.
James Irwin, associate economics professor, said border wait times are a huge cost people are baring, and it is definitely reducing the amount of cross-border traffic.
Irwin, a Canadian citizen, personally has waited in border lines for three to four hours.
"If you had a secure ID that was cheap enough so everyone could have one, everyone would be able to get by quicker," he said.
Irwin said this program would result in two reduced costs: Smaller passport fee for citizens and decreased time of getting a passport.
The United States Immigration Support Web site states the total fee per passport for someone under 16 year of age is $134.95, and for anyone older than 16 is $149.95.
The site also reports a seven-step process to gain a passport, involving steps like taking passport pictures, mailing the application and waiting 28 to 42 days to receive the passport.
"From an economic point of view, economists really like the idea to travel and visit other places, even if people don't spend the money they can enjoy themselves," he said. "Anything to increase and promote trade is a good thing."
news@cm-life.com
Larry Sych, associate political science professor, said several states, such as Colorado, are issuing enhanced driver's licenses.
"Secretary Land is very much in support of it, so they believe they can accomplish the intent of the law," he said. "Other states like Washington are adamantly opposed and are saying it's not feasible."
Sych said the law requires documentation verified by the Department of Motor Vehicles or the Secretary of State, and that can be a tremendous amount of work.
"In principle it should work, but it depends all on the states' participation," he said.
Sych said the law originally was a government mandate based on a National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, recommendation.
"The most problematic thing is that this is not funded by the national government," he said. "If they follow the plan ideally it will work, but at cost to the state."
Sych said since Michigan's economy is struggling, there may be no money left for this project.
James Irwin, associate economics professor, said border wait times are a huge cost people are baring, and it is definitely reducing the amount of cross-border traffic.
Irwin, a Canadian citizen, personally has waited in border lines for three to four hours.
"If you had a secure ID that was cheap enough so everyone could have one, everyone would be able to get by quicker," he said.
Irwin said this program would result in two reduced costs: Smaller passport fee for citizens and decreased time of getting a passport.
The United States Immigration Support Web site states the total fee per passport for someone under 16 year of age is $134.95, and for anyone older than 16 is $149.95.
The site also reports a seven-step process to gain a passport, involving steps like taking passport pictures, mailing the application and waiting 28 to 42 days to receive the passport.
"From an economic point of view, economists really like the idea to travel and visit other places, even if people don't spend the money they can enjoy themselves," he said. "Anything to increase and promote trade is a good thing."
news@cm-life.com
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