 PANTHER TAG LEADS THE PACK SPECIALTY PLATE RANKED AS BEST-SELLER Tallahassee Democrat -- Saturday, February 10, 2001 By: David Twiddy, Democrat Capitol Bureau Sometimes it pays to be more endangered. After years of stalking the ranks of state specialty license plates, the Florida panther is now on top, unseating the beloved, if more numerous, manatee. Panther fans bought or renewed 110,026 plates bearing the likeness of the big cat, according to the 2000 rankings of specialty tags released Friday by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. At $25 a pop, the plate raised $2.7 million for research on the panthers, of which about 50 still live in the wild. Drivers bought 106,737 of the manatee plates at $20 apiece, raising $2.1 million for manatee research. A recent survey found at least 3,276 of the mammals, signifying the animal may be making a strong comeback. Officials with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which gets a portion of both tag sales, didn't know why the panther was the plate of choice this year. "It's always had a place of representing the people of Florida, almost as much as the alligator does," said commission spokesman Henry Cabbage. On the collegiate front, Florida State University gained a spot in the rankings to come in fourth, selling 63,572 plates or renewals and raising $1.5 million for the school's scholarship funds. But it still couldn't shake the University of Florida, which remained in third with 75,548 plate sales or renewals and $1.8 million. Florida A&M University slipped to 18th, selling 16,591 plates or renewals and generating $414,775. Rounding out the top five was the plate commemorating the Space Shuttle Challenger, which generated 56,743 sales or renewals and raised $1.4 million for the Astronaut Memorial Foundation and technology research. In total, the state's 51 specialty plates raised a record $20.1 million last year, said Robert Sanchez, spokesman for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Since the Challenger plate was approved in 1987, specialty plates have raised $175.3 million for a variety of causes. They range in price from $15 to $25 extra per license plate. It's difficult to say what makes some plates more popular in a given year. In the case of athletic teams, it often appears to mirror the team's success. For example, the plate commemorating the resurgent Tampa Bay Buccaneers rose from 21st place in 1998 to 13th last year, selling 22,377 plates and renewals for $559,425. By contrast, the slumping Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Florida Marlins were no help to their license plates, which finished 40th and 41st, respectively. The proceeds from professional sports license plates go to attract and promote sports events in Florida. Last year also saw several new plates appear in local Tax Collector Offices - including ones honoring the U.S. Marines, bicyclists and coreopsis, the state flower. The most popular has been the controversial "Choose Life" tag, which sold 9,936 plates and raised $198,720 to promote adoption services. The plate still faces a court challenge brought by opponents of the tag, who say its anti-abortion overtones cross the boundary separating church and state. At the bottom of the list is the Florida Gulf Coast University plate, which is featured on just 220 bumpers. It generated $5,500. TOP-SELLING PLATES Here are the top-selling specialty license plates, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles:
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