By the Staten Island Advance Editorial

New York state lawmakers are poised to take up the issue of drivers who live in New York State but register their cars in other states to avoid higher insurance costs here. 

Our only question is: What took them so long?

Democratic state Sen. Diane Savino and her fellow members of the newly formed Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) are proposing that the state offer rewards of up to $5,000 to state residents whose tips on the fraudulent registrants lead to prosecutions and convictions. Their measure also contains provisions that would categorize the ruses these fraudsters routinely employ as far more serious crimes than they are currently.

“This is no little white lie,” Sen. Savino, who co-authored the legislation, said. “If you live here but register your car out of state, you’re not only committing fraud; you’re also making things more expensive for your neighbors.”