Falling Out With Contractor Blamed for Huge Cost Overruns

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A falling out with the contractor hired to overhaul Minnesota's driver's license and vehicle registration system has inflated the cost for the long-awaited project.

Lawmakers in 2008 added a new fee on license and car registration transactions to simplify and automate the system. The state hired Hewlett-Packard Co. to do the work with a $48 million price tag.

But the state's technology branch took over the project last year after relations with technology company soured. Now, the Star Tribune reports it could cost up to $93 million. It likely won't be done until 2018.

Some lawmakers have expressed outrage at the growing costs with little progress to show for it.

Project manager Dawn Olson says Hewlett-Packard missed several deadlines. Olson says the project is in a better place now.