Spending taxpayer money to tell people things they should already know

Watch this:



I will readily acknowledge that having old cowboys talking "urban" is amusing. But I have some bones to pick with TxDOT regarding this commercial:

1. You are spending taxpayer money to tell people things they should already know. To wit, that when your vehicle registration expires, you should get a new one. They help you remember by sending you a notice in the mail.

2. "Wanna be cool?" I don't need any recommendations from the State of Texas regarding being cool. Not with Governor Douchenozzle in office.

It's possible that TV stations are airing this ad gratis (part of their Public Service Announcement allotment), and that the ad conveys some useful information regarding how the money you pay for your vehicle registration is used. Although I suspect that the money doesn't go directly to infrastructure - it's probably just dumped into the state's General Fund.

Even if that is the case, it still cost taxpayer money to produce. How about, on the vehicle registration notice that is sent in the mail, the state gives a breakdown as to how the registration fee is used?

And why is it that when I renew my vehicle registration online, I'm charged a "convenience fee"? It seems like I'm conveniencing the State of Texas by reducing their processing time & costs more than they're conveniencing me.

The only way I'm OK with this commercial running is if they're not going to send out renewal notices in the mail any more. If the state expected people to know when their registration is expiring, and how to renew it. That would save the state some money.

Since that's probably not going to happen, let me just say this: use taxpayer money to fix roads and bridges instead of using it to produce clever ads that describe how roads and bridges are going to be fixed.

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