The owls, tigers, otters and trains that adorn Pennsylvania's license plates could be getting company soon.
State Rep. John Payne, R-Dauphin, introduced a bill last week to create patriotic license plates that would work as a fund-raiser to purchase body armor and other equipment for the Pennsylvania National Guard.
The plates would contain the word "PATRIOT" in capital letters, along with a yellow ribbon and the phrase "Support our troops." Motorists would have to pay a $35 fee for the plates, with $20 of that going into a special fund for National Guard training and equipment.
Payne said he was inspired after meeting guardsmen returning from Iraq who told him some soldiers had been spending their own money to upgrade their protective equipment.
Lt. Col. Chris Cleaver, a National Guard spokesman, disputed the claim that Guard troops are improperly equipped, but said the organization would be happy to receive the benefits and recognition from a special plate.
"Our forces have gone into battle with the latest armor or technology," Cleaver said, which consists of an Interceptor vest with small-arms protective plates and deltoid pieces on the shoulders.
Additional side pieces of body armor, costing $1,000 a set, are issued to Pennsylvania National Guard gunners because of their frequent exposure to enemy fire.
We welcome Payne's idea as a way for patriotic Pennsylvanians to show their support for fellow state residents in harm's way. A $35 fee is a small price to pay to offer better protection to those in the front lines of the war on terror.
Pennsylvania currently has several specialty plates in circulation. Among the most popular are the Pennsylvania Zoological Council (with a tiger symbol), the Wild Resources Conservation fund (river otter) and Preserve Our Heritage (train). The all-time leader is the Wild Resources Conservation Fund, featuring a saw-whet owl, which sold 231,000 plates before it was discontinued.
We believe Pennsylvania drivers would quickly break that record if Payne's bill is approved and they get this very public way to show support for the troops.
