South Florida Woman Receives Controversial License Plate

A resident of Pompano Beach, Florida, Nancy Dello Stritto, experienced a shock when she received a new license plate with her vehicle registration renewal that she felt carried an inappropriate message. The license plate read “SQZ A55,” which Nancy interpreted as a crude phrase. At almost 77 years old, Dello Stritto expressed disbelief that such a plate could be distributed by stating, “I don’t think a senior who is almost 77 will be driving around with a plate that has that to say.” She relayed to CBS News Miami her reaction upon opening the mail: “When I saw that, I went ballistic. I said, ‘How could that pass inspection?'”

The plate has ignited conversations within her retirement community and among her family and friends. Interestingly, while Dello Stritto dislikes the license plate, her sons and their friends are among those encouraging her to keep it. The current opinion tally stands at 16-1 in favor of retaining it.

The method by which the license plate was issued remains uncertain. Florida’s license plates have been manufactured for nearly a century at a state prison in North Florida before being distributed by county agencies. This particular plate was sent from the Broward County Property Tax Collector’s office.

A Broward County office manager stated that offensive plates could be replaced for free at the Plantation office. Despite this, Dello Stritto currently plans to keep her controversial plate, although she intends to contact the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles about the situation. “I’m resigned to it; maybe it was destined for it to be on my car,” she commented, humorously adding, “I can handle it; maybe I’ll even get some honks.”