Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 22:08:26 -0800
Reply-To: Good Ole Volk <goodolevolk@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Good Ole Volk <goodolevolk@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Fwd: Old Car Scrappage Alert
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
From: "Bill Richardson" <project65@earthlink.net1>
Reply-To: VintagVW@listproc.sjsu.edu
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 11:21:49 -0700
To: "Vintage VW list" <VintagVW@listproc.sjsu.edu>, "356 Speedsters"
<speedsters@speedsterowners.com>, "ACVW" <acvw@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Fw: Old Car Scrappage Alert
Just received the following and thought I would pass it on.
Bill
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URGENT ALERT
U.S. SENATE BILL WOULD FUND SCRAPPAGE PROGRAMS NATIONALLY
We have recently been advise by SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market
Association, the trade association for automotive aftermarket product
manufacturers, retailers, representatives, etc., of the following
significant development.
A Senate bill (#S.1766), authored by Senators Daschle (D-SD) and Bingaman
(D-NM), has been introduced in the Senate containing a provision (Section
803) that would federally fund state scrappage programs for vehicles over 15
years old. Owners who turn in an ³old² vehicle would receive a minimum
payment and a future credit towards the purchase of a new vehicle.
This section 803 scrappage funding is a misguided attempt to improve the
overall fuel economy of the countryıs vehicle fleet and represents a
significant threat to our hobby and industry.
This bill:
- would unfairly and unjustifiable deny automotive enthusiasts and
businesses the vintage automobiles necessary to their activities.
- would give states that donıt currently have a scrappage program an extra
incentive to create one due to the generous federal funding.
- requires that federally funded state scrappage programs crush every car,
threatening enthusiasts nationwide with the loss of valuable and often
irreplaceable parts and parts-cars for repair, restoration and customization
projects.
- does not require that the states determine the fuel efficiency of the
vehicle being scrapped or that it is in fact replaced by a more fuel
efficient vehicle.
- ignores the fact that vehicles that are turned in for scrappage often do
not run and are not even capable of being driven or are a second or third
vehicle that has little or no impact upon overall fuel economy.
- would diminish the availability of affordable transportation and repair
parts to low-income drivers as more-and-more vehicles are crushed.
- does not assure that the individual receiving the crusher credit would
even use it, let alone to buy a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle.
- ignores more socially responsible and cost-effective options like vehicle
repair or upgrade to maximize the fuel efficiency of existing vehicles.
- is exceedingly costly and wasteful of materials and energy by destroying
existing, potentially operational, low cost vehicles with the intent of
their being replaced with new high cost vehicles manufactured from high cost
energy sources.
The entire added cost of such a scrappage program - the cost of crushing,
the cost of the future credit, the cost of administering the program(s) and
the cost of buying replacement vehicle(s) - is paid for by US the tax payers
and consumers, not by U.S. as in Uncle Sam.
We at Watsonıs StreetWorks are requesting that you do the following two
things:
1. Please write both of your state senators a brief, to-the-point letter,
stating your opposition to Section 803 of Senate bill S.1766. The addresses
for your Senators can usually be found in your local telephone directory. Of
course if you live in South Dakota or New Mexico you might want to express
your strong disappointment to Senators Daschle and Bingaman, but be polite.
2. Tell everyone you know who is interested in ³old² cars and trucks about
this bill and request their support by writing letters, too. Send this to
email buddies, customers, friends, club members, anyone and everyone who may
be interested. Ask your local parts store to place copies on the front
counter. It is essential that this get stopped before it can be enacted,
reversal once in place and funded is nearly impossible.
This is not a fake email scam like the 5 cent email tax hoax.
This is a real danger from the real villains - Congress.
If you follow these things, you know that there has never been a vehicle
scrappage program that has had a measurable result in achieving the stated
objectives. These programs always cost more and achieve less (if anything of
any good at all) than the well intended but ill-informed lawmakers who
enacted them had in mind. Please help to protect our hobby, sport,
industry...what ever you call it, it is all of our fun, our enjoyment and
our way of life that is facing a real threat.
Thank you very much.
Steve Watson
Watsonıs StreetWorks
Rod & Custom Products
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