Vehicle Emissions Tailpipe Testing can be Repealed!

Thousands of County residents have called and asked for Repeal of Tailpipe Testing.

Democrats
Fred Cowan for County Judge: 485-0282
Russ Maple for "A" District: 896-0570 (home)

Republicans
Rebecca Jackson for County Judge: 473-7474
Steve Parks for "A" District: 459-6730 (home)

Offices of the Jefferson County Commissioners  
       "A" District Commissioner: 574-5754 - Russ Maple 
  "B" District Commissioner: 574-5895 - Irv Maze
         "C" District Commissioner: 574-6808 - Darryl Owen 

Jefferson County Judge’s Office
574-6161 - Dave Armstrong                                      

Now it is time to call the News Media and ask they report how candidates stand on the issue?
WAVE-3: 561-4150, WHAS-11: 582-7220, WLKY-32: 893-3671, WDRB-41: 561-7707, CJ: 582-4011

Questionable Effects of Tailpipe Testing:

It Created a Private monopoly - After passing Vehicle Emissions Testing, Judge Mitch McConnell and the County Commissioners, turned over implementation and day to day operations to Gordon-Darby, Inc. This created a private monopoly and guaranteed 450,000 customers annually! Private business has to make a profit. Couldn’t county workers provide "the service"  for less?

Fills the Court System with the working poor - The Jefferson County Court System processes 16,000+ VET related court cases a year! Some politicians have requested a new and larger facility be built. Repealing the VET may eliminate the need for a courthouse building program and free the Sheriff's Department to serve Felony Warrants.

Sets precedent for government to tell citizens how and when to spend after tax dollars. The $8.25 is a fee and not a tax or is it a rose by another name?

Automobile Manufacturers, Sales & Service are Beneficiaries - The owner of a garage says tightening standards are making it difficult or impossible to get his customers cars to pass. When I asked the garage owner how the offending cars drove, he said fine. Isn't that ironic? We used to take a car to the garage when it did not run well and replace it when we could afford to.

The VET is an example of Federal Government trampling States Rights – Politicians claim repeal will cost Jefferson County Federal Funding. Uncle Sam’s rebate to the states that comply is blackmail and proves American citizens are paying too much in Federal Taxes! The 10th Amendment grants all powers to the States that are not specifically delegated to the Federal Government.

The Law does not apply equally to all:

• 600,000 cars across the state pollute as much as 600,000 cars in 4 tested counties! Only Jefferson County and Northern Kentucky have Emissions Testing Programs.

• Tens of thousands of interstate vehicles pass through Jefferson County daily.

• Heavy trucks (corporations) are exempt from testing.

Government is the Biggest Polluter:

Government officials knew 30 years ago pollution would become a problem. But they did not discourage the automobile industry and encourage mass transit.

Politicians are the biggest promoters of clean air programs like tailpipe testing.  Yet they continue to encourage   building programs in densely populated urban areas:

The Bridge Debate - Remember the debate over an east end bridge Vs the downtown bridge. Environmental Engineers will tell you the Ohio River Valley is a poor choice for manufacturing or superhighway nexus, because river valleys trap pollutants. Nonetheless, politicians argue the bridge is too important to Louisville and must be built downtown.

Bringing the UPS National Hub to Louisville - Takeoffs and landings are the most polluting aspects of air traffic. Clean air would have been preserved and new jobs secured by building in an adjacent county. Airport Expansion added more pollution to Jefferson County than a punitive VET program can reclaim

In a candid moment, a County Judge Candidate admitted you could close Jefferson County borders to everything but bicycle traffic and there would still be days that would not meet federal air standards. Non-compliance days result when pollution from Canada in the winter or Mexico and other states in the summer gets trapped in the Ohio River Valley.

Only 6% of 450,000 vehicles tested fail the VET. It is questionable whether reducing pollutants emitted by a small percentage of cars improves the quality of air in Jefferson County sufficiently to warrant the $3,564,000 and 216,000 hours (@ 30 min ea.) spent by the 94% who pass?
Air quality has improved  because Japanese competition resulted in fuel-efficient cars and the Federal Government required manufacturers to incorporate catalytic converters. Improving technology and letting the individuals  purchase it as they can afford to, is the only equitable way to reduce vehicular pollution.

The VET program   places the burden for improving air quality squarely on the shoulders of those least able to pay, the poor, retired and young people starting out! Among the 6% who fail are unfortunates who cannot afford to repair or replace their vehicles. Nobody wants to drive and undependable or poorly running vehicle.