Help us NC guys stop this bill before it gets passed....

[vicioussix]

Many of you may not be aware, but there is currently a bill in the NC Senate proposing the addition of front license plates for all vehicles. Our local forum, www.nceuro.org is organizing a petition to try and kill this bill before it gets passed. We would like all the help we can get from anybody who opposes the addition of a front plate. Please visit our thread for more information - http://nceuro.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6820

Here is the pertinent information and how you can help us. Any help would be greatly appreciated, please spread the word

What you will find in this thread is information related to stopping a proposed bill that would require NC residents to have front license plates. You can find the bill here. There is a short story on NBC17 news and a video here.

Many of the members at nceuro are opposed to the bill becoming law and ask for your help to stop it. The bill was proposed by Senator Janet Cowell and is now sitting in the Transportation committee of the NC Senate. Below you will find the contact information of the members of the NC Senate Transportation Committee. If you oppose this bill, please help us in contacting the members of the Transportation Committee and let your voice be heard in a respectful manner. If you can, please call, email and fax your opinions to the Senators as there is no way to know which Senators use what medium as their preferred form of communication.

If you do not have a fax machine, please try a free fax service such as FaxZero. Here you can send a fax for free from your desktop. You can take the one of the prepared statements below and upload it right to faxzero. Please feel free to cut and paste one of the prepared letters and make it your own, these just represent the opinions of a couple of members on our forum. If you prepare your own statement, please show due care and professionalism so the the State Senators will pay close attention to our desire to kill this bill.

Letter One (be sure to edit it to reflect the appropriate recipient)
Download MS word version here

Dear Senator,

As a concerned resident of North Carolina, I am in strong opposition of NC Senate Bill 673 proposed by Senator Janet Cowell on 3/12/2007 that would require dual license plates on vehicles. I urge you as a member of the Transportation Committee to kill this proposed bill in committee, and to vote down any bill that would require dual license plates in committee or before the full membership of the North Carolina Senate. This is a polarizing issue for myself and other citizens who feel it threatens our freedoms and North Carolina’s long history of being a one plate State for the reasons listed below:

I. A dual plate requirement is duplicative, and would cause an unneeded additional cost to taxpayers by increasing registration taxes or diverting other budgeted money to fund additional plate stamping, coloring and mailing. It is appalling that one would even consider levying additional taxes or diverting money for this bill when the 540 beltline is unfinished and other transportation projects are badly needed to alleviate traffic congestion due to population growth in NC.

II. A front license plate would damage private property of most of the citizens of North Carolina whose vehicles are not designed for a front license plate. New vehicles are not designed for a front license plate, and to become compliant with this bill would require drilling into the front bumper of a vehicle. This lowers resale value of the vehicle since front plates are unsightly.

III. Currently, many out of State automobile buyers pay North Carolina taxes to purchase a vehicle in our State as the vehicles do not have unsightly holes drilled into the front bumper of the vehicles. By adopting a front plate, North Carolina would forfeit this revenue.

IV. Front license plates provide no value at night, as there are no vehicles equipped with lights to illuminate the front license plates. Automobiles already have reflectors on the front bumper, and a front license plate provides no extra benefit. If we are going to provide law enforcement officers another tool to assist them in doing their job, there are much more effective and better ways to augment the tools available to law enforcement officers than a front license plate that is only seen during the day.

V. Front license plates would raise insurance premiums, as there would be an increased cost associated with replacing the front license plates after minor bumper accidents since license plates are not designed for a front bumper like they are in the rear.

Thank you for your time, and I sincerely hope I can count on you to oppose dual license plates in North Carolina.

Letter Two (be sure to edit it to reflect the appropriate recipient)
Download MS word version here

Dear Senator,
I am writing to express my opposition to Senate Bill 673, as proposed by your colleague, Senator Janet Cowell of Wake County. I believe I speak for many of my fellow constituents and auto enthusiasts statewide when I say that the single most aesthetically-displeasing element one may add to the front of a vehicle is a license plate. Regardless of whether the vehicle is new or old, requiring the addition of a front plate is simply a bad idea. Furthermore, I see no benefit that could come from having a plate on the front of a vehicle along with the one currently required to be displayed on the rear. Even from a law-enforcement standpoint, the benefit I believe is nominal as compared to the cost of implementing what amounts to such a bad idea. If I may, I'd like to question from where the funds would be sourced in order to implement the program and to produce the additional plates, and what the total additional cost might be? I can't believe this can be accomplished without raising vehicle registration fees, or robbing from an already overburdened highway trust fund. Also, is the State going to pay for the bracketry required to secure the plates to the front of my 3 vehicles? None of them currently has a proper mounting bracket affixed to the bumper or anywhere else on the vehicle, as it is currently not required, and therefore wasn't supplied with the vehicle when new. I can't imagine I'm alone in this situation. The costs to the State and to the public in order to conform to this bill, if it is passed into law, would be overwhelming. North Carolina's gas tax is already one of the highest in the United States, and this amounts to nothing more than an additional cost to operate a motor vehicle on our roads. I realize that is a privilege, but so is the honor of representing your constituents. I hope that you realize, as I do, that North Carolina's citizens do not need to be further burdened with this form of government regulation.

Respectfully,


Here are the members of the Transportation Committee and their contact information. I know it will take extra time, but it will be well worth it to send this to every member of the committee. If you are limited on time, please send it to the chair and vice-chairs' and at least one member of both political parties. I would avoid sending a mass email with everyone listed on it as it may be seen as SP*M or will lack the personalization needed to get the point across. Please take some time and exercise your rights as citizens to do something about this bill before it is passed.

Chairman
Senator Larry Shaw (Dem)
Phone: (919) 733-9349
Email: Larrys@ncleg.net
(910) 433-2522 (FAX)

Vice-Chair
Senator Steve Goss (Dem)
Phone: (919) 733-5742
Email: Steveg@ncleg.net

Vice-Chair
Senator Clark Jenkins (Dem)
Phone: (919) 715-3040
Email: Clarkj@ncleg.net

Members
Senator Austin M. Allran (Rep)
Phone: (919) 733-5876
Email: Austina@ncleg.net
(828) 324-0498 (FAX)

Senator Phil Berger (Rep)
Phone: (919) 733-5708
Email: philbe@ncleg.net
(336)623-2023 (FAX)

Senator Harry Brown (Rep)
Phone: (919) 715-3034
Email: Harryb@ncleg.net

Senator Janet Cowell (Dem)
Phone: (919) 715-6400
Email: Janetc@ncleg.net

Senator Don East (Rep)
Phone: (919) 733-5743
Email: Done@ncleg.net

Senator W. Edward (Eddie) Goodall (Rep)
Phone: (919) 733-7659
Email: Eddieg@ncleg.net

Senator Malcolm Graham (Dem)
Phone: (919) 733-5650
Email: Malcolmg@ncleg.net

Senator Neal Hunt (Rep)
Phone: (919) 733-5850
Email: Nealh@ncleg.net

Senator John H. Kerr III (Dem)
Phone: (919) 733-5621
Email: Johnk@ncleg.net
(919) 734-4215 (FAX)

Senator Jean Preston (Rep)
Phone: (919) 733-5706
Email: Jeanp@ncleg.net

Senator Joe Sam Queen (Dem)
Phone: (919) 733-3460
Email: Joeq@ncleg.net

Senator John Snow (Dem)
Phone: (919) 733-5875
Email: Johnsn@ncleg.net

Senator Richard Stevens (Rep)
Phone: (919) 733-5653
Email: Richards@ncleg.net

Senator A. B. Swindell (Dem)
Phone: (919) 715-3030
Email: abs@ncleg.net
(252) 459-4385 (FAX)

Senator Jerry W. Tillman (Rep)
Phone: (919) 733-5870
Email: Jerryt@ncleg.net

Senator David F. Weinstein (Dem)
Phone: (919) 733-5651
Email: Davidw@ncleg.net
(910) 608-0034 (FAX)

[mgjbbc]

we have to use two plates in wi. i think it sucks.

[Buick Runner]

In NJ you also need two plates.

[vicioussix]

I think it sucks for you guys as well. Many of our cars did not come from the dealers with the holes drilled in the front bumpers, that is what we are trying to prevent. That and the freedom to run a custom plate on the front of our cars. I was just told the other day that it is illegal in the state of NC to run a decal across the top of the windshield. If you have one your vehicle will not pass inspection. Just another step forward for the govenment having us all driving blue subcompact sedans.

[Getchasum]

Everyone on the above mailing list got a letter from me, I also sent a copy of the link to friends in my personal mailing list.

Did you post a link in the Southest section on the other board as well?

[vicioussix]

Actually, I only posted it here. I figured it might get more attention. But run with it Scott, all your help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for what you have done so far, I did the same. I really have a low opinion of politicians at this point anyway, and this was icing on the cake.

Nice avatar by the way.

[buicksrus]

Which cars come from the factory without front license plate mounting brackets/mounting holes??

[vicioussix]

Lots of cars with plastic bumpers such as F-Bodys, Mustangs, newer Regals and so on. It also effects the ability to be able to run a personal plate on the front of the car such a a Power Six, GN logo etc.....

[Getchasum]

Originally Posted by buicksrus

Which cars come from the factory without front license plate mounting brackets/mounting holes??

Most new cars that have the plastic front bumbers. I know my 2006 Malibu doesn't.

[vicioussix]

ttt