A Nevada license plate proposed for Carson High

Fundraising is never far from physical education teacher Erin Been's mind. When she noticed a specialty firefighting license plate on the back of a vehicle recently, an idea was born.

"I said, 'I wonder how that's done' and looked on the DMV Nevada Web site and did some research on specialty plates," said the Carson High School teacher.

What she discovered is that the state allows 25 specialty plates to be produced each year. Some of the registration money for those plates goes to the state and a portion goes to the organization.

The potential money to be raised in the first year of a Carson High School plate would a minimum of $25,000, she said. From a first-time registration fee of $61, based on costs of similar plates, Carson High would receive $25. One thousand plates must be purchased each year for production to continue.

But to even be considered for production, 1,000 signatures must be collected indicating interest in buying a a Carson High School plate.

"Obviously, we're working on getting to a thousand signatures right now," she said. "And that's what we need help with - getting the first step going."

Been, who taught in Las Vegas before coming to Carson City this school year, said there should be enough support in the area for the plate to keep it going.

"With the strong alumni support and being a one-high-school town, I think we have a better chance of doing it than Las Vegas that has, say, 30 high schools."

About 100 signatures have been collected so far. Anyone wishing to sign the petition can drop by Carson High School's front office.

Once 1,000 names are collected, an art contest will likely be done to elicit submissions.

"We kind of want to incorporate the Senator guy because he's been part of the school for so long," Been said. "And also the blue-and-white colors."

Once the plate design is ready, it will be submitted to a review committee and then field-tested. If the plates are approved, a space on the list of 25 must open up - by sales of an existing plate dropping below 1,000.

Some plates on the list are for Hot August Nights, the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce, Nevada libraries, Pyramid Lake, spay and neuter programs, the Virginia & Truckee Railroad, Reno Air Races, the University of Nevada, Reno and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

She hopes to have all the signatures collected before May, when the next review of charitable and collegiate plates is planned.

If a Carson High School plate were to go into circulation, renewal fees would bring in less money in subsequent years if only the minimum 1,000 plates are sold. At an estimated cost of $30 for renewal, about $20 would go to the school. That's $20,000 to Carson High School. Been said the money would be used at the school wherever it is needed.

"It wouldn't go to any one club," she said. "I don't know how (Principal Fred Perdomo) plans on divvying out the money. We'll deal with that issue when we get to it."

-- Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.