In Kentucky, you pay sales tax on the price paid when you buy the car and register for the first time. 6% tax. Then every year, when you renew your plates, you pay $12 for the plate, a couple bucks for the clerk fee and then a property tax on the cars NADA value as of Jan. 1 that year. Property tax varies county to county. Figure about 1.25%. Probably half of the tax is the school system tax. Property taxes are about 40% of the funding source for schools in KY. If you are young figure your kids will probably benefit directly today or soon. If you are past the kids age, just remember: dumb kids = low incomes = low FICA revenues = no Social Security = dog food for dinner + grandkids who can't even spell dog food. I've got six cars (yeah, I'm crazy) and the tax and insurance bills are tough, but my family all ride/drive in the safety of MB and I still have 2 4x4 trucks to pull camper or get up this hill I live on. Plus, I really don't want the SL out on the snow. Could be worse I guess. Across the river in Cincinnati, they have low plate costs but high real estate taxes. Taxes are so high they collect twice a year. I figure if they hit people with the whole year's bill at one time, the folks would burn down the statehouse