What can Sleepy Ted Kulongoski be thinking?

Oregon’s Governor is supporting efforts to get Oregon’s vehicle emissions program more in line with that of California.

I can’t believe he (or at least anyone with their head properly screwed on) would consider adding such an incredibly expensive yet virtually worthless cost to owning a vehicle in Oregon at a time when fuel prices are completely out of control. He’s going to help make driving in Oregon a rich man’s luxury in a state where many poor hard working people need to drive to provide for their families.

Having been in the automotive repair industry for many years, I can tell you that vehicles with California emissions equipment on them are some of the most expensive to repair. Not only when the emission controls fail, but other repairs become more expensive because of the added difficulty in accessing components now hidden by certain emission control devises. Look it up in any labor time guide, “With California emissions – add .5”

When I’ve had occasion to test two similar late model cars, one with California emissions equipment, one without, the difference is very minimal and certainly not worth the up front cost at the time of purchase, let alone the long term cost.

Yes, once again ol’ Steady Teddy has opened his mouth without really considering all angles. And though this is the Oregon Billboard, I can still say shame on Christine Gregoire for thinking this was a good idea, but what can you expect?