A Tax For A Useless Task

To the Editor:

I passed! I passed!!! Well I guess no one is really all that surprised, after all my car is only five years old. Hmm I wonder! Connecticut passed a clean air act in 1993 to check automobile emissions to ensure the quality of air would be good for us, our children and grandchildren. I will always be the first one in line to help improve our environment, I recycle — everything, I donate all my soda cans to the local high school band, I use ozone safe products, environmentally safe pesticides, but I am becoming a little unwilling to waste hard earned dollars to support the pay checks (and other compensation earned or not, let’s get rid of the cash only requirement) of employees performing a useless task.

Let’s be honest, the $20 is a tax, clear and simple a tax. How can I be so sure it’s a tax? Starting July 2002 all new vehicles and vehicles four years old or newer will be required to purchase an exempt automobile emissions inspection sticker for $40. Why? I agree a new vehicle should not have to be inspected but why pay $40 for it? Simple: it’s a tax, $20 for two years is what you pay now so the lost tax revenue for four years equals $40. Add to this every time you register a vehicle after July 2002 you will be assessed $10 instead of $4 every two years for the clean air act.

 Heh, if we need the money  send me a bill, call it a tax, I’ll pay it; just don’t give it to bunch of guys to stick a tube up my exhaust and waste my time. I’ll gladly have my car inspected when it’s eight years old, that’s when most cars would begin to see issues with passing an emissions test. 1.1 million cars pass through the Connecticut inspection stations each year generating $22.2 million of revenue plus an additional $5 million in late fees, if less than 1percent (in fact its less than 1 in 10,000 cars) of the cars five years old or newer fail, why not reduce the number of employees at the inspection station and only inspect older cars that would have a greater positive effect.

 Is it really worth $200,000 to get 1 out of 10,000 cars from having higher exhaust emissions? I think it’s time to get on the “Let’s stop wasting my time and money” band wagon, tax me the 40 bucks for an exempt sticker and spend the money on some environmental cleanup that needs it. As for me, I think I’ll rip off this new farce of an inspection sticker and hope that some cop will use his valuable time to write me emissions violation ticket so I can plead not guilty and appeal to the court of common sense.

Gary P. Frey, Sr

10 Great Ring Road                                            August 10, 2001