Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

2015 Texas Legislative Session Discussion Thread

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Using information from the previous session, let's discuss a game plan for the new state government. We all know Abbott is going to be a pain to deal with, but the louder our voices are, the better.
Free enterprise and capitalism is what Republicans (and Libertarians) love, so let's highlight the business unfriendly laws that are on the books.
 
The bigger obstacle will be Dan Patrick. He was on the Senate committee that considered the bill last session and was the most vocal opponent. Now as lieutenant governor he runs the Senate. He decides which committee to send a bill to (a committee which will produce the outcome he wants, even if it's not the most relevant committee), and if a bill makes it out of committee, he decides when to bring the bill up for a vote, or not. Until Perry was governor for so long that all boards and commissions were stocked wiith his appointees, the Lt. Governor had always been the most powerful elected official in the state for this reason, and with a new governor we'll be back to what the Texas constitution intended which is a weak governor.

I'm sure the Tesla lobbyists are working on a strategy for Patrick. It will be interesting to see what that might be.
 
Speaking of countering the usual TADA talking points - I wonder what it would cost for Tesla Motors to sponsor a few Little League teams?
At last year's session Elon said something to the effect of "if sponsoring Little League is a requirement to sell cars in Texas, tell me how much it costs and where to send the check."
Seriously, if someone were to think of ways to fund Little League, would anyone suggest it be funded by a stealth tax on car sales and service? Let consumers keep more of their own money, and they'll decide themselves what community contributions to make, or perhaps could use it to buy their children's uniforms themselves. Now when the dealers spend money on marketing they make like they're doing us a favor.
 
Speaking of countering the usual TADA talking points - I wonder what it would cost for Tesla Motors to sponsor a few Little League teams?

Why not the Texas Tesla Owners sponsor a little league team or two (baseball AND softball)? Find a team that would be willing to put a logo on the shirts AND have a presser where owners show up with their cars for the team. Signature Red shirts all around!

Let's find a team that would play against a TADA member's kid's team, too. ;)
 
Last edited:
Why not the Texas Tesla Owners sponsor a little league team or two (baseball AND softball)? Find a team that would be willing to put a logo on the shirts AND have a presser where owners show up with their cars for the team. Signature Red shirts all around!

Let's find a team that would play against a TADA member's kid's team, too. ;)

I'd kick in a few bucks for that. I'm sure we'd have to get permission to use the Tesla logo.

From a purely logical standpoint I agree with TexasEV. If you want to buy uniforms for your kid's Little League team, buy uniforms for your kid's Little League team. There's no reason a car dealership should be involved. What the dealers are doing here is making an emotional appeal, not a logical one. Kind of a variation on the "think of the children!" argument that is used to justify various forms of censorship.

The other thing they are doing is trying to paint themselves as members of the local community, the kind of guy you'd have a beer with around the barbecue grill. Which doesn't hold much water when you consider national chains like AutoNation. Or Red McCombs for that matter, who once owned the Minnesota Vikings.
 
We had similar arguments in TN. One thing that gets them is to ask if the little league teams had the dealers names on the jerseys and how many would support the team without advertising. Lets face it this is advertising pure and simple. Why assume that Tesla would not proportionally support the community? The one thing they cant equal is the passion of owners. Good luck
 
Last edited:
One of the best ways to effect change is to exploit every possible loophole in the current law to the maximum. I don't know how people buy a Tesla now in Texas, but if test drives are not allowed then perhaps have private ones set up and even advertised as "owner events with guests welcomed" or something like that. Maybe Tesla can donate vehicles as "loaners" for people who own the car, who can get them even when their cars are not in service, and those cars can be used for test drives by volunteers. I'm just thinking out loud here but anyway that the current law can be exploited, while still working within it, will help to break it down.
 
One of the best ways to effect change is to exploit every possible loophole in the current law to the maximum. I don't know how people buy a Tesla now in Texas, but if test drives are not allowed then perhaps have private ones set up and even advertised as "owner events with guests welcomed" or something like that. Maybe Tesla can donate vehicles as "loaners" for people who own the car, who can get them even when their cars are not in service, and those cars can be used for test drives by volunteers. I'm just thinking out loud here but anyway that the current law can be exploited, while still working within it, will help to break it down.

We don't have that type of problem here. Tesla offers drive events all over the state. The main issue is that they can't tell you how much it costs, or where to buy it -- though, they can put you on the phone with someone in Denver, who *can* answer those questions.

The other problems are not fixable by a grassroots effort: e.g., can't include sales tax on the loan, and can't contact the service center directly for service.
 
One of the best ways to effect change is to exploit every possible loophole in the current law to the maximum. I don't know how people buy a Tesla now in Texas, but if test drives are not allowed then perhaps have private ones set up and even advertised as "owner events with guests welcomed" or something like that. Maybe Tesla can donate vehicles as "loaners" for people who own the car, who can get them even when their cars are not in service, and those cars can be used for test drives by volunteers. I'm just thinking out loud here but anyway that the current law can be exploited, while still working within it, will help to break it down.

Test drives aren't much of a problem. You just go the the Tesla web site and sign up for one.

Purchasing is even less of a problem. You go to the Tesla web site and order the car just like anywhere else. The main difference is that you have to do it on your home computer rather than being able to do it in the Tesla gallery with a Tesla employee there to answer any questions while you're inputing choices. When the car is ready you pick it up at one of the Service Centres. Your "big inconvenience" is that Tesla mails you the paperwork and you have to take it down to the county tax office to pick up your plates and pay sales tax. This is the same procedure that you would use to purchase a used car.
 
Test drives aren't much of a problem. You just go the the Tesla web site and sign up for one.

Purchasing is even less of a problem. You go to the Tesla web site and order the car just like anywhere else. The main difference is that you have to do it on your home computer rather than being able to do it in the Tesla gallery with a Tesla employee there to answer any questions while you're inputing choices. When the car is ready you pick it up at one of the Service Centres. Your "big inconvenience" is that Tesla mails you the paperwork and you have to take it down to the county tax office to pick up your plates and pay sales tax. This is the same procedure that you would use to purchase a used car.


Unless things have changed in the year since I got my car... you also have to carry out your own inspection within a few days of getting your brand new car - and you only get a one-year inspection sticker for your efforts. In other words you have to go through two "getting the car inspected" processes that dealers carry out for you before you show up to their lot.

This process, plus the extra people showing up to register their cars at tax offices, will be an absolute pain in the butt when Tesla is trying to sell 500,000 Model 3 cars per year, or more.
 
We don't have that type of problem here. Tesla offers drive events all over the state. The main issue is that they can't tell you how much it costs, or where to buy it -- though, they can put you on the phone with someone in Denver, who *can* answer those questions.
And the fact that there is a Monroney sticker on the showroom car helps to put this in the "silly" category when put in perspective. Point and laugh. Repeat.

The other problems are not fixable by a grassroots effort: e.g., can't include sales tax on the loan, and can't contact the service center directly for service.
Add to this: Locked out of a $2500 state incentive under the Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive (LDPLI) Program. I felt no pain from ordering from Denver on the phone. Or self-registering. But $2500 feels like my pocket was picked!

(I walked in to my Service Center and set up a service visit. What is the sanctioned method, calling Tesla? I don't want to get my fine SC staff in any trouble.)

Rick
 
This process, plus the extra people showing up to register their cars at tax offices, will be an absolute pain in the butt when Tesla is trying to sell 500,000 Model 3 cars per year, or more.
Doubt it will be a pain at all, much less "absolute." Just avoid the end of the month when everyone lines up and renews. If you do find a line, talk about the car...
 
Last edited: