URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT

California Considers Taxing “Gas Guzzlers”

In a misguided attempt to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, legislation (A.B. 493) has been introduced in the California Assembly by Assemblyman Ira Ruskin (Assemblymember.Ruskin@assembly.ca.gov) to establish a progressive purchase surcharge for some new motor vehicles based on state calculations of carbon emissions. Depending on the vehicle purchased, this surcharge could require owners to pay up to $2,500 more for the vehicle. Funds collected under the program would be used in part to fund discounts for hybrids and electric cars. If this effort is successful, the effects on your ability to purchase the vehicle of your choice, not to mention vehicle safety, will be dramatic.

We Urge You to Contact the Assembly Transportation Committee Members (List Below) Immediately To Request Their Opposition to A.. 493

H.B 493 will limit consumer choice in purchasing vehicles by making popular performance and luxury cars, as well as SUVs, light trucks and minivans, substantially more expensive to own.


H.B. 493 will potentially lead to more deaths on California’s highways as higher taxes on larger, safer vehicles forces consumers into smaller cars with higher accident fatality rates.


H.B. 493 will not conserve energy. Greenhouse gas emissions depends on a host of other factors such as total miles traveled.


H.B. 493 will do little to improve air quality. Air quality has more to do with overall basic vehicle maintenance than it does with owning and operating any particular class of vehicle.
DON’T DELAY! Please contact members of the California Assembly Transportation Committee immediately by phone or e-mail to request their opposition to this bill.

Please e-mail a copy of your letter to stevem@sema.org. Thank you for your assistance.

Assembly Transportation Committee

Pedro Nava, Chair
Telephone: (916) 319-2035
Fax: (916) 319-2135
Email: Assemblymember.nava@assembly.ca.gov

Michael D. Duvall, Vice-Chair
Telephone: (916) 319-2072
Fax: (916) 319-2172
Email: Assemblymember.Duvall@assembly.ca.gov

Wilma Amina Carter
Telephone: (916) 319-2062
Fax: (916) 319-2162
Email: Assemblymember.Carter@assembly.ca.gov

Mike DeSaulnier
Telephone: (916) 319-2011
Fax: (916) 319-2111
Email: Assemblymember.DeSaulnier@assembly.ca.gov

Cathleen Galgiani
Tel: (916) 319-2017
Fax: (916) 319-2117
Email: Assemblymember.Galgiani@assembly.ca.gov

Martin Garrick
Telephone: (916) 319-2074
Fax: (916) 319-2174
Email: Assemblymember.Garrick@assembly.ca.gov

Shirley Horton
Telephone: (916) 319-2078
Email: Assemblymember.Shirley.Horton@assembly.ca.gov

Guy S. Houston
Telephone: (916) 319-2015
Fax: (916) 319-2115
Email: Assemblymember.Houston@assembly.ca.gov

Bob Huff
Telephone: (916) 319-2060
Fax: (916) 319-2160
Email: assemblymember.huff@assembly.ca.gov

Betty Karnette
Telephone: (916) 319-2054
Email: Assemblymember.Karnette@assembly.ca.gov

Anthony J. Portantino
Telephone: (916) 319-2044
Fax: (916) 319-2144
Email: assemblymember.Portantino@assembly.ca.gov

Ira Ruskin
Telephone: (916) 319 - 2021
Fax: (916) 319 – 2121
Email: Assemblymember.Ruskin@assembly.ca.gov

Jose Solorio
Telephone: (916) 319-2069
Fax: (916) 319-2169

Nell Soto
Telephone: (916) 319-2061
Fax: (916) 319-2161
Email: Assemblymember.Soto@assembly.ca.gov

 

Am I allowed to send an email in protest even though I don't live there?

Oops, already did....

Leave it to California politics to make the rest of the country say "what the heck!?!"

 

I loved California, but this BS is frustrating. But as long as they don't take my classic car smog exemption away, I'm happy.

 

Well something like this has just passed up here in Canada. Ours just affected big SUV's and supercharged/turboed vehicles. They never touched the trucks but it adds up to $4000 CDN on some vehicles with rebates of $2500 CDN.

 

You know what makes my blood boil? It's when misinformed people who think they have a clue what is going on...really don't. Then they take their ideas that have no validity whatsoever and push them onto everyone else and make themselves look better or seem like they have their ducks in a row.

There is not one person in this country who will benefit from this proposed bill......unless you count the people who drafted it. It's politics. Politics happens to be a subject that I love to debate but per FTE rules, I cannot....therefore I won't.

Gawd I HATE California.......

 

It has to be without a dout the most radical state in the union, after the hippies moved there in the 60's, it has never recovered. It's our own version of Sodom and Gormora and you know what happened there. All the good folks should move east before it falls into the ocean ha ha. Why don't just outlaw everything except econo boxes and be done with it. I supose it would be cool to see the stars pull up to an awards show in a neon. Back in the day, Callie was the auto capital of the country, as far as hot rods and cool cars. When you would think of Callie, you would think of the Beach Boys, woody's and hot rods, how times have changed along with thier image and not for the better.

 

http://autos.canada.com/news/story.h...d-3f0013601121


http://www.tc.gc.ca/programs/environ...rt/ecoauto.htm

 

I agree whole heartedly with the above statements.. Couldn't have said it better.

Just pay the $20.00 to be a supporter and you can debate all you want with the Club FTE forum..

 

You know, it's just like the speed limit thing so buckle your seatbelts, here we go!!! Oh wait man, seatbelts!!! There's another one. HANG ON TIGHT!!!

Why make stupid, half-hearted LIES about emissions/seatbelts/speed limits and come up with "laws" that are completely union-controlling? Simple. Federal funding for interstate highways. What happens when the seatbelt laws are not enforced and the state DOTs do not put up commercials and billboards? Uncle Sam says "I'm taking away your highway funding and will not give your state any money until you enact a seatbelt law. Oh, and by the way, Montana, your so-called 'Safe and prudent' speed limit thing is also going to get you no highway money."

Sound familiar California? It's all about highway dollars, how to get them, and how to stuff a politician's wallets while they claim to fund the highways with the money they are buying their golf carts with. The more lies and bullcrap that the "people in the know" can come up with, the more money they can get for themselves and their hoity-toity lifestyles.

I could also apply this to DuPont and the R12 patent issue, but that's another story.

 

You bring up a very good point about the highway funding. Just one thing, what's wrong with seatbelts?

 

What's wrong with seatbelts? Nothing really. I don't wear one in my personal vehicle because I believe in choice and SOVEREIGN states making their OWN laws per votes of the PEOPLE. In Montana, if I don't want to wear my motorcycle helmet, I don't have to. Seems silly to me. If I don't wear a seatbelt, I get a ticket.....but I can ride my 170 HP/200MPH crotch rocket without a helmet. Makes perfect sense.

I better knock it off with the politics. I will get deleted or booted. Sorry about the ranting.....I have been cooped up living with my parents again after 11 years because I switched jobs/towns and my wife is still at the old house 200 miles away waiting for it to sell so she can move down here with me. It's a NIGHTMARE!!! I'm just venting.

RANT OFF FOR GOOD

 

If you get injured without a seatbelt or helmet and your insurance cannot cover all the expenses --- you made that choice and the state should not cover a single medical expense. Even if it means you die or your family goes bankrupt as a result.

I'm Libertarian and I believe in the freedom to make choices, likewise I believe you ought to suffer 100% of the consequences. Since the likelihood of injury is higher, you ought to pay higher insurance rates as well. You can express your freedom of choice but you should not make everyone else pay for it. Fair enough, isn't it?

 

I agree with you...Libertarian here as well... cleatus12r does bring up a good point, I've often wondered why the seatbelt requirement...but no helmet requirement.

 

Of course we in NY all know this kind of sh..cr .. stuff always makes its way east, often to our (Not-so) beloved Empire (of doom) State.

That's what I fear here.

 

I wouldn't get your panties in a bunch over this one. It's good that SEMA keeps an eye on these things and offers heads-up, but taken in it's entirety, this proposed bill has little chance of becoming a law.

Here's the actual proposed bill--> http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0451-0500/ab_493_bill_20070220_introduced.pdf

And here's the Assembly Committee's analysis (read the "Related bills" section and you'll see why this bill has little hope)--> http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/..._asm_comm.html