Would you like to get more smog checks for your 911? Read this and take action.

[cowtown]

The grandstanding dip*****s in the California Legislature are at it again. If you drive a Porsche that is older than 15 years old (964 or older), you will be required to get an ANNUAL smog check. Your smog fees will be given to the "low income" drivers who fail their tests and need to get their cars fixed. You, however, as a rich Porsche-driving b*astard, will get nothing.

It's supposedly a "revenue-enhancing" bill, so naturally the Dems are all over it. And Arnold will probably sign it. This is the same crowd that made you get your 1976 and newer 911 smogged indefinitely. The bill is in committee now.

Write to the dip***** legislator of your choice today (e-mail addresses can be found below).

This bill requires older vehicles to be annually inspected under
the state's biennial smog check program and expands eligibility
for financial assistance provided to low-income motorists to
help pay for repairs needed to pass the inspection.
Specifically, this bill:

1)Requires, starting July 1, 2008, all motor vehicles subject to
the smog check inspection program that are 15 model years or
older to be annually, instead of biennially, inspected.
However, the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), must
develop a methodology to exempt, from the annual inspection
requirement, vehicles or classes of vehicles more likely to
pass annual inspection.

2)Earmarks revenue generated by the more frequently imposed smog
certificate fees to the High Polluter Repair or Removal
Account (HPPRA) instead of the Vehicle Inspection and Repair
Fund (VIRF) to fund repair assistance and vehicle retirement
programs instead of DCA and Bureau of Automotive Repair
administrative costs.

3)Expands, from 200% to 300% of the federal poverty level,
persons eligible for low-income repair cost assistance offered
by the BAR and eliminates the January 1, 2009 trigger that
reduces the income threshold to 185% of the federal poverty
level. (BAR has already exercised its statutory discretion to
set the eligibility threshold at 225%.)

4)Eliminates, from eligibility for repair cost assistance,
persons whose motor vehicles fail a smog check inspection and

Please contact members of the California Senate Appropriations Committee immediately by phone, fax or e-mail to request their opposition to A.B. 616.
Thank you for your assistance.
Senate Appropriations Committee
Senator Tom Torlakson (Chair)
Phone: (916) 651-4007
Email: Senator.Torlakson@senate.ca.gov
Senator Dave Cox (Vice Chair)
Phone: (916) 651-4001
Email: Senator.Cox@senate.ca.gov
Senator Samuel Aanestad
Phone: (916) 651-4004
Email: Senator.Aanestad@senate.ca.gov
Senator Roy Ashburn
Phone: (916) 651-4018
Email: Senator.Ashburn@senate.ca.gov
Senator Jim Battin
Phone: (916) 651-4037
Email: Senator.Battin@senate.ca.gov
Senator Gilbert Cedillo
Phone: (916) 651-4022
Email: Senator.Cedillo@senate.ca.gov
Senator Ellen Corbett
Phone: (916) 651-4010
Email: Senator.Corbett@senate.ca.gov
Senator Robert Dutton
Phone: (916) 651-4031
Email: Senator.Dutton@senate.ca.gov
Senator Dean Florez
Phone: (916) 651-4016
Email: Senator.Florez@senate.ca.gov
Senator Sheila Kuehl
Phone: (916) 651-4023
Email: Senator.Kuehl@senate.ca.gov
Senator Jenny Oropeza
Phone: (916) 651-4028
Email: Senator.Oropeza@senate.ca.gov
Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas
Phone: (916) 651-4026
Email: Senator.Ridley-Thomas@senate.ca.gov
Senator George Runner
Phone: (916) 651-4017
Email: Senator.Runner@senate.ca.gov
Senator Joe Simitian
Phone: (916) 651-4011
Email: Senator.Simitian@senate.ca.gov
Senator Darrell Steinberg
Phone: (916) 651-4006
Email: Senator.Steinberg@senate.ca.gov
Senator Mark Wyland
Phone: (916) 651-4038
Email: Senator.Wyland@senate.ca.gov
Senator Leland Yee
Phone: (916) 651-4008
Email: Senator.Yee@senate.ca.gov

[onewhippedpuppy]

Boy am I glad I don't live in CA. Bunch of liberal Nazis in office, scary.

[rammstein]

Holy god almighty. Thank GOD I am in Florida. Wow. Just....wow.

I'll take hurricanes, alligators, and hanging chads.

[daepp]

So how does this affect a car manufactured prior to 1976?

[Mo_Gearhead]

QUOTE: "Boy am I glad I don't live in CA."
_________________

Amen ...thank God for 'fly-over country'. Never Californicate us!

[legion]

I got out of CA in '89.

Now I don't know if I even want to visit.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Christ almighty, if I didn't live here I wouldn't believe it.

What utter rubbish.

My next car will be a pre-1975. I swear it. I'm so sick of this extortionist CARB-mandated horse$hit.

[Hugh R]

Any idea of the bill number or author?

[slodave]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Any idea of the bill number or author?

A.B. 616 Assembly Member Jones. We should get some sort of email together and send it to the reps. My 911 passed smog last with flying colors, it even beat my 2001 Toyota.

Dave

I sent this letter to all of the scumbags months ago. If you haven't guessed, I'm pretty sick of being politically correct with thieves.


Dear Sir:
I recently became aware of A.B. 616. I am letting you know of my opposition to that bill.
Does it help air quality in California, no not a bit? The 2 year smog check does that just fine the way the law is.
What it does do is place more state mandated fees on all elderly and disabled people in the state that are on fixed incomes and tries to force them to buy new cars.
I am a 100% disabled Veteran on a fixed income with a 14 year old car that is kept in perfect condition. Most of my driving is to the VA clinics and other Doctors offices. Now I’m going to have to pay for an annual smog check even though at the 2 year smog check my car passes with flying colors.
This bill does not help the people of California, what it does do is increase the business of New Car Dealers and Smog check stations. It penalizes anyone who has a car 15 years old or older.
It especially penalizes the elderly and disabled on fixed incomes by doubling their smog check fees. With gas at $3+ per gallon already, this is just another unnecessary fee that we don’t need.
If this bill passes, I’m sure that the hype will be, “I helped keep California’s air clean”. What it should be is, “I helped screw the elderly and disabled with an unnecessary bill out of more of their money and supported new car dealers and smog station businesses”.
So who are you really in office for?
Regards:
Don

[john70t]

"The bus stop is about two blocks down on the right. Next one is in about 25 minutes. Remember to bring your sharpie and knife to show people you were there".

[Hugh R]

Sent an email to my assembly men, won't do any good to send to one who is not your representative, unless he thinks your from his district.

[RoninLB]

NY has annual smog till car is 25.

[goat]

Yep read up on this one just a few hours ago.
Got a letter half way written.
With two cars in this catagory I am not very happy.

[lendaddy]

Environmentalism is so much cooler on paper.

[futuresoptions]

Sounds like another post I read today about a guy that didn't have a permit to build his house and they were going to tear it down with a bull dozer...... Red tape, Red tape, Red tape..... This is the way Dems and Reps raise taxes without it being called a tax increase.....if you don't do as they say you are then a criminal.... and you will be dealt with before any illegal alien would be for coming here illegally....... well welcome to Amedica! Enjoy the NWO!!!! You asked for it, supported it, now you got it! eat your wheaties cup cakes!

[Tobra]

Wrote an E-mail to Dave Cox, am actually a constituent. Looks like he did not vote in July Commitee meeting, WTF am I paying him for?

Alan Nakanishi voted against it in committee. Go figure, a republican doctor who agrees with me

[nostatic]

well, here's what I sent to my rep:

Greetings Senator Kuehl,

I am writing to voice my strong dissent with A.B. 616. I fail to see how this bill in any way serves to improve the air quality of the state. Instead, it introduces more complication and bureaucracy , and helps to line the pockets of smog repair stations and new car dealerships.

I own a car built in 1979. I passes its biennial smog check with flying colors, often with lower numbers than my newer car. A.B. 616 is prejudicial against those of us that own older vehicles. This is yet another attempt to force us into an even greater "disposable economy," focusing on buying new things instead of keeping and repairing older, well made items.

As a Ph.D. chemist, I understand the scientific implications of emissions, but this bill isn't about that. It is about penalizing those of us that prefer to own and drive older vehicles.

I am a democrat living in west LA, a blogger, and am active/vocal in numerous online communities. Rest assured that if you vote for this bill, I will actively work to defeat you in the next election, even if it means working for a republican. I feel very strongly on this issue, and am not happy with the slippery slope that the state insists on taking towards effectively removing old/classic cars from the roads. There are far larger problems to be dealt with right now (immigration, terrorism, infrastructure, need I continue?). This is a waste of the senate's time, and indicative of politicians that seem to have their priorities severely out of whack.

I welcome your comments.

[pwd72s]

[QUOTE=nostatic;3419330]well, here's what I sent to my rep.

I am a democrat living in west LA, a blogger, and am active/vocal in numerous online communities. Rest assured that if you vote for this bill, I will actively work to defeat you in the next election, even if it means working for a republican.

I'm sure he's shaking in his boots. BTW, how much did you donate to his PAC????

[nostatic]

actually it is a her. And what exactly am I supposed to say? I didn't donate anything to any PACs, thank you very much.

Any politician these days with half a brain has some respect of "soft power." And if she does vote for it, I will work actively to defeat her. I know quite a few political bloggers...there are lots of ways to fight the fight.

Why so cranky?