Lake Erie license plate sales plunging

SANDUSKY — Sales of a special license plate program that provides funding for the Ohio Lake Erie Commission has declined for at least five straight years.Figures for six years of sales released by the Ohio Division of Motor Vehicles show that sales have fallen every year, from 16,071 special lake plates sold in 2011 to 11,430 sold in 2016, with a resulting drop in commission revenue from $229,320 to $167,220.Revenue from the special license plate sales go into a Lake Erie Protection Fund, which funds an annual grant program that funds research into projects that benefit Lake Erie.The grants program has spent $200,000 a year for several years, although in Tuesday's commission meeting at Liberty Aviation Museum near Port Clinton, that was raised to $250,000. The commission also approved the latest research grant, $15,000 to the University of Akron, to study which are the most cost-effective approaches for fighting erosion of coastline on the Lake Erie shore.Lake Erie Commission officials believe the proliferation of specialty license plates has hurt sales of the lake plate.Ohio currently has 281 specialty license plates, according to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Ohio drives can show their love for military organizations (135), for organizations such as the Ohio Lake Erie Commission (103), for various colleges (29), for professional sports teams (8) and company logos (6).When the Lake Erie plate launched in 1993, it was the first novelty plate, and brought in $900,000 a year, said Sandra Kosek-Sills, an environmental specialist with the Lake Erie Commission.But with state lawmakers creating more and more plates every year, customers are drawn to other specialty plates, and the Lake Erie plate becomes harder the find among the many other choices, Kosek-Sills said.Kosek-Sills said the commission tries to market the plates and gets help from the Office of Coastal Management. The marketing effort should gain a boost when the commission hires a new communications specialist.A position description for the job has been created, but no date has been set yet for hiring someone."We're in a little bit of a holding pattern," Kosek-Sills said.But although license plate sales are down, the grants program it supports isn't being jeopardized, she said.The fund still has about $700,000.In addition, lawmakers in the most recent state budget merged the protection fund with another fund, and the Lake Erie Commission also benefits from investment income, Kosek-Sills said.Reach reporter Tom Jackson at jackson@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @jacksontom.BOX: Lake Erie License Plate sales by yearYear Sales Organization revenue2011 16,071 $229,3202012 15,047 $216,2852013 14,096 $200,7452014 13,064 $187,1852015 12,456 $180,5402016 11,430 $167,220Ohio motorists can buy a Lake Erie specialty license plate that features the Marblehead lighthouse.