Ads May Be Coming to a License Plate Near You

By Prescott Carlson in News on Jun 14, 2011 6:00PM

Why put stupid things on your license plate like promoting autism awareness or declaring your love for the Cubs when you can shill for a corporation instead? You soon may be able to if an idea for corporate "sponsorship" of Illinois license plates gets legs.

Legislators in Springfield are reportedly conducting a study on the "pros and cons" of allowing corporations to plaster their logos on the backs of cars everywhere in yet another effort to plug the state's ever increasing budget woes. Besides putting cash into the state's coffers, drivers who opt to choose the sponsored plates will receive a discount on their standard license plate fee, which is currently $99 for passenger vehicles.

But even if the Secretary of State's office decides to move forward with sponsored plates, the amount of money raised may not even cover the salary of a single school teacher. The state of Texas, which has roughly twice the population of Illinois, started allowing corporate plates in November 2009, and so far has only raised just over $50,000 from the program.