June 16, 2004

The Honorable Manny Diaz

California State Assembly

Assembly Committee on Labor & Employemnt

P.O. Box 942849

Sacramento, CA 94249-0001                                                                               Oppose AB 2939

Dear Assembly Member Diaz:

It has come to the attention of the California Service Station and Automotive Repair Association  (CSSARA) and its 350 members who currently participate in the state’s Smog Check Program that your legislation AB 2939 will exempt years 5 and 6 from the biennial testing program.   As you are aware, the Bay Area recently came into the Enhanced Program. Many shop members invested anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000 in order to participate in the public/private enterprise of cleaning up California’s air through the Smog Check Program. 

This exemption of years 5 and 6 is in spite of the Air Resources Board’s recent concern that it would jeopardize the state’s position as it relates to the state implementation plan.  Not only might it impact the state implementation plan, it will definitely impact the livelihoods of all of the test and repair smog check businesses in the state of California.   Along with the fact that the Bureau of Automotive Repair and the Air Resources Board are directing approximately 50% of all vehicles subject to testing to test-only, this will further impact the ability of the test and repair industry to remain viable in testing and reducing emissions on California vehicles.  We estimate that your legislation would remove approximately $82 million, or an average of $10,000 per test station, from the industry. 

Speaking as a former participant in the smog check industry as a small business owner, and also as an industry member appointed to the Inspection and Maintenance Review Committee, I truly believe that this will increase the state’s emission inventory.  The test and repair industry is the only part of the Smog Check Program that actually reduces emissions by repairing the car.  Your legislation will definitely de-incentivize test and repair stations and force many of them out of the program.  This is unconscionable, as it will literally bankrupt many of our members who are having a difficult time attracting new automotive technicians into the industry who have the abilities to properly repair today’s high tech automobiles.  I remind you that the only way we can reduce emissions is to properly test the vehicles and repair them. 

I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our concerns and hope that you will carefully rethink your position on this.

Sincerely,

Dennis DeCota

Executive Director