You think the state would actually decrease any of our DMV fees? No, they would just take the extra money from only having to make 1 plate and spend it somewhere else. So yes, 2 plates cost the state more money.
As for the border thing, that sounds BS to me. The camera that snaps a picture of your plate at the border looks at the REAR plate, not the front. Those camera systems are standardized to work at any border, and several states and provinces only require a rear plate.
As for NY, Quebec does not require a front plate. For the geographically challenged, NY shares a border with Quebec as well.
I won’t believe it until I see an official link though, no offense to Vic.