Village Car Stickers: Cool Symbol of Civic Pride or Sign You're a Sucker?

Everyone who dislikes those car stickers raise your hands.

Those of you grabbing sky right now, a proposed ordinance that was recommended Monday by the village's Land Use and Policy Committee meeting is for you. Here's how it reads (emphasis mine):

Every person who owns or operates a vehicle, who resides in the Village of Frankfort, or regularly garages or regularly parks such vehicle overnight within the Village of Frankfort, shall have the opportunity voluntarily to purchase a vehicle license. Such license shall be issued as hereinafter provided.

You read that right. This ordinance, which still needs approval from the Village Board, would not require residents to buy car stickers. Goodbye, defacing your vehicle each year. Hello, extra $5 that you can pump into your tank thanks to skyrocketing gas prices.

And that's what will, happen, right? No one in his or her right mind is going to spring for a non-required sticker.

Not so fast. Mayor Jim Holland said at Monday's meeting that he still envisions some residents buying stickers for a couple different reasons:

1. They believe that if they don't have a vehicle sticker, they'll get a ticket in other towns.
2. Without a sticker, it will be harder to navigate through the residential areas downtown during Frankfort Fall Festival.

Personally, I can see the Frankfort vehicle sticker becoming a bit of status symbol, a way to tell who really cares about their community because the revenue generated by the sticker fee goes toward "paying the cost of improving, paving, repairing and maintaining the streets and other public roadways within the Village."

Think of it as Frankfort's version of a yellow Live Strong bracelet. Or an I Voted sticker. Or a hybrid car (which, incidentally, have the $5 sticker fee waived).

The minute something is no longer required is the minute it starts becoming cool.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? If this ordnance passes, will you still buy a vehicle sticker? Take our poll and share your thoughts in the comments section.