Here is the rub for me:
Why do we accept the concept of a government agency collecting a fee to do it's job?
They are already supported by taxes. Seems like double dipping to me.
It's not just the FCC either, it's the DMV, courts, etc, as well.
So we have income tax, real estate tax, sales tax, gas tax, tolls, and if the government actually DOES something for us, we have to pay for it's "service"?
I think we should complain loudly as the FCC wants to join the "bilk the public" party.
It may seem that way to you, but it's really just a matter of how The Legislators We Elected decide to do things.
For the past 40+ years, US amateur
licenses have been "free" to the licensee - the costs were all paid for by the taxpayers. (VE fees go to reimburse the costs of testing; the FCC doesn't get a penny of those fees. Vanity calls had fees for a time but then FCC decided collecting the money wasn't worth the costs and effort.
Then in 2018 The Congress enacted a law commonly called "Ray Baum's Act" which requires FCC to enact
applicationfees for various kinds of licenses - including amateur radio licenses. That's why the
appicaltion fee. (FCC actually defines both
application fees and
regulatory fees, and we get a freebie on
regulatory fees.
Supposedly, making licensees pay for license applications will ease the tax burden on everyone. (And our new licenses will be delivered by flying unicorns....)
The philosophy behind it is that the person getting the benefit of the license is the licensee, so why should the taxpayers foot the bill?