QUESTION: The license plate renewal for 2011 is a white-colored decal with black lettering, which is almost identical to the 2009 registration emblem. It's too close in resemblance, so people will not renew and basically will get a free ride for two years. Who decides the coloring for that?

ANSWER: It's true that the city Motor Vehicle and Licensing Division is using the same design format for 2011 as 2009.

Because of cost, the practice of using different-colored decals each year was discontinued about three years ago, said Dennis Kamimura, administrator of the division.

Put simply, “;Anything that's black and white saves money; anything that's colored is more expensive,”; he said.

It costs about 5 cents more for a colored decal than for a white one.

The price difference involves inventorying the different colors, plus requiring two printers in every office (including satellite city halls) that issues registration stickers, Kamimura said. Now only one printer is required.

Kamimura said enforcement is usually handled by the Honolulu Police Department's parking enforcement staff, who can read the expiration year printed on the decal when they're checking parked vehicles.

And even if a vehicle might not be caught with an expired decal, the city's computer records will indicate the decal number and last expiration date of each registration, he said.

So, the registered owners “;will be charged all delinquent taxes and penalties when they are required to renew their vehicle,”; Kamimura said.

Also, you can't complete a safety inspection with an expired registration.

A certificate of registration, as well as the expired decal on the rear license plate, is required to be presented to the safety inspection station, Kamimura said.

Meanwhile, he said, his office “;in the future”; is considering changing from the three-letter month abbreviation to a numeral month designation on the decals.

QUESTION: I have been shredding old bank statements and charge statements all morning using two shredders. Someone told me that there is a place where confidential material is collected and disposed of at no charge. Is there such a place?

ANSWER: You're probably referring to the Better Business Bureau's “;Secure Your ID Day”; held last October — and planned again for this October.

The national BBB-sponsored shredding event, described as a public education and community service project aimed at preventing identity theft, allows people to bring personal documents, CDs and floppy disks to be shredded for free.

The BBB of Hawaii said that at last October's shredding day, 12.7 tons of material was shredded, the third most among participating BBBs across the nation.

The BBB is again sponsoring a shredding day nationally on April 17, but the local organization will not be participating because of a conflicting event.

The April shredding event comes just a week before the local 2010 BBB Torch Awards luncheon.

It would be difficult to manage two large events so close together, so it was decided not to hold Secure Your ID day this spring, a spokeswoman told us.

Information about the October Secure Your ID Day will be posted on the BBB's Web site closer to the date.

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