California, Here We Are

We have officially started the process of becoming Californians again.

It has been an expensive, though so far relatively headache-free, process.

Although our vehicles were previously registered here well into next year, we had to start the process over (and pay the associated fees) as though they never had been. We figured that would be the case, but it was still a bummer to have it confirmed.

We had to get California insurance again, and because of the two months we were insured in Texas, we lost our California "continuous insurance" discount. We had to pay the difference in sales tax on Homer. We had to get smog tests for the car and truck. We had to tow Homer over to the AAA office so the insurance people could take photos and so they could do a VIN identification for the DMV.

(By the way, we have been able to take care of all the registration at the AAA office. They are so much nicer and more efficient than the DMV people. They also had a toddler-sized picnic table set up by the desk, and an employee brought over coloring books and crayons for the kids.)

We can't register the Pilot yet because we have to get a letter from Texas stating that they never issued a title there. (They were huge sticklers about us registering our cars, but they couldn't have cared less about the title: They specifically gave us the option of changing the title or not.) Hopefully we can get that faxed over on Monday.

There is still the issue of the licenses, which we have to do at the DMV. We're going to get our Class C's for now, and then Steve will start the process of getting his Class A. Unlike in Texas, we actually have to take a written test here. I took five practice tests online and only missed three questions, so hopefully I'll be ok. I'm sure Steve will be.

The thing that sucks most is that we're not going to be able to vote in this election. Based on the amount of campaign literature we've been receiving, we're still on the books in California, but we're technically registered to vote in Texas. (We figured we were doing our civic duty.) We could probably walk into our polling place and vote and no one would know the difference, but we're not really keen on committing voter fraud, so we'll sit this one out.

I don't know the total cost of everything we paid to register in Texas, plus the additional cost of re-registering here. I could total it up, but I'm not going to. I figure we'll chalk it up as part of the experience.

Incidentally, there was a young couple next to us at the DMV desk at AAA today. The husband was in the military and newly stationed here. They thought they needed to establish residency here and register their vehicles and everything. That would include paying the difference in sales tax on the car they paid 3% on in Virginia (so they'd be paying another 6% or so). The AAA people explained that because they're military, they didn't need to register here. The couple seemed hesitant and kept talking it over. The AAA people, while not overtly telling them not to change their residency, were subtly begging them not to do it. Steve and I kept whispering under our breath, "Don't do it, don't do it!" They left, still Virginians, to go home and think about it.

Although it feels strangely reassuring to become Californians again, the extra taxes and fees are among the main reasons we're still looking forward to leaving.