The marriage tax is working

Back in 2007, the Lege passed a bill authored by Speaker-wannabe Rep. Warren Chisum that doubled the cost of a marriage license for any couple that did not take a state-approved marriage class. The idea, according to Chisum, was that by getting couples to take this class, which is basically a few hours of premarital counseling, there would be fewer divorces. Couples who did take the class would be able to get their license for the original fee. How has it gone so far? About as you’d expect.

[F]ew couples are using the program for the discount, likely accounting for less than 15 percent of all licenses in the past two years, according to information provided by state agencies.

The Star-Telegram contacted state agencies involved with collecting marriage license revenue, including the Department of State Health Services and the comptroller’s office. None were able to say exactly how many couples have received the discount statewide. The information they provided, as well as data from county officials, suggests the 15 percent figure.

“The teaching of the course is working fine, and I have no intention of modifying that,” said Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, who championed the legislation that created the program. “We just have to figure out more ways to get more people to take the course [rather] than pay the double fee.”

Chisum’s proposal was vigorously debated in Austin during the 2007 legislative session. He originally wanted to raise the state fee from $30 to $100. Critics derided it as a “marriage tax.” They also expressed concern that local governments might lose out on needed revenue if too many people took advantage of the discount.

In both Harris and Tarrant Counties, the percentage of couples receiving the discount increased in the second year of the program, but the levels remain low. In Tarrant County, about 9 percent of marrying couples received the discount between Oct 1, 2009, and Sept 31, 2010, up from 6.5 percent the prior year, according to data provided by Patrick Jordan, Tarrant County’s vital records manager.

In Harris County, the percentage of participating couples during the first two years has been below 5 percent, according to the county clerk’s office.

I have to confess, as someone who was married long before this law went into effect, I’d forgotten all about it. I wonder how many people who have been subjected to it are even made aware that they could get their marriage license for less. Anyone out there who’s gotten married since 2008 care to comment on that?

There is some good news about this:

Because most couples aren’t receiving the discount, the higher marriage license fee has increased government revenue.

The comptroller’s office collects $30 of every marriage license fee, up from $15.50 before the Twogether in Texas program was launched, spokesman R.J. DeSilva said. The agency puts $20 in a fund for programs combating child abuse and $10 in the Family Trust Fund, for programs aimed at strengthening families. In the two years since the program launched, the two funds took in $4,031,830 more than in the two years prior, a 67 percent increase, according to the comptroller’s office.

The other $30 goes to county governments, according to state records. In Tarrant County, the money goes into the county’s general fund, said Debbie Schneider, county budget director. In each of the two years since the program launched, that’s provided more than $300,000 in additional revenue to county coffers compared with the 12 months before the start of the program, according to the Tarrant County clerk’s office.

Got to figure that Harris’ total is at least double that amount. Commissioners Court thanks you, Rep. Chisum.

Chisum, a candidate for House speaker, said he isn’t happy to see increased revenue going to different levels of government because of the higher marriage license fee. He said he hopes that revenue stream declines as more engaged couples take the classes.

“It never was meant to be a revenue driver for the state,” Chisum said.

But anyone with an ounce of common sense would have recognized that it would raise revenue for the state. Some number of people, as I’ve said, probably never knew about the classes. Others likely decided that they’d rather pay the extra $30 than spend eight hours in what’s basically a defensive driving class (which I’m sure isn’t free, either). You’d have to jack the cost of the marriage license way up before I’d consider those eight hours of my life to be worth it, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that feeling. Believe what you want, Warren, your marriage tax is working exactly as expected. Vince has more.

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3 Responses to The marriage tax is working

  1. Gee Li says:

    My wife and I were married back in May of 2009 and I don’t recall the option of taking a marriage class coming up at all.

    Then again, there were so many things that I forgot. A note to anyone thinking about getting hitched out there. Get a florist at least a year in advance. Seriously.

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  3. Michael says:

    So, I’m spending $5K-$20K of somebody’s money on a wedding, and I’m supposed to worry about $30?

    However, I think somebody could make a killing with Comedy Defensive Marrying courses…

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