2015 Texas Legislative Session Discussion Thread

[bollar]

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.


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

In theory, you need to call/email Tesla in California with your service request. They authorize it and request their agent in Texas (the Service Center) to take care of it. I assume if you walk in, they contact Fremont with your request and get authorization.

The "what does it cost" question becomes annoying at drive events, where the cars don't have Monroney stickers on them. If you happen to be at one, you'll almost certainly be asked to disclose what you paid for the car, which IMO is rude.

 

[SW2Fiddler]

you'll almost certainly be asked to disclose what you paid for the car, which IMO is rude.

I share this opinion! I am trying to react better to this personal question. It'll be something like "less than three LEAFs, but worth more than four of them"

 

[Krugerrand]

It may be more a pain in the butt than anything, but the important point here is that if Texas falls, everyone else falls, and it's smooth sailing ahead for the Model 3.

 

[TexasEV]

The "what does it cost" question becomes annoying at drive events, where the cars don't have Monroney stickers on them. If you happen to be at one, you'll almost certainly be asked to disclose what you paid for the car, which IMO is rude.

The Monroney stickers are in the glove compartment of the test drive cars. All of the inventory cars are for sale so they are required to have the sticker in the car. At a test drive people can see the price if the want to because Federal law trumps state law.

 

[bollar]

The Monroney stickers are in the glove compartment of the test drive cars. All of the inventory cars are for sale so they are required to have the sticker in the car. At a test drive people can see the price if the want to because Federal law trumps state law.

Ugh. Then it's even more annoying.

 

[Chris TX]

This is still the case. You have a very short time to get the vehicle inspected (blue sheet) and you can drive around with that and the temporary California registration sticker for a while, waiting for the MSO and other final paperwork to arrive 3-4 weeks later. Then, you visit the tax collector's office to get it officially registered, pay the 6.25% sales tax, and get your plates. With any luck, you'll get a clerk that's done a Tesla or an out of state new vehicle purchase. They will want to walk outside and see the car and its inspection sticker.

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.

 

[Craig-Y]

Count me in!

Chris,

As I have told Tesla, please count me in on any plans for taking Tesla to the Texas Legislature. I helped with the efforts last session but we need to turn up the heat this year.

With regards to the Texas $2,500 incentive on alternative fuel vehicles, I already vented my frustration that the incentive excludes Tesla to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). As a Texas resident and tax payer, I get miffed when an environmental incentive is enacted with a specific goal in mind (reduced emissions) and then excludes (for political reasons) one of the vehicles making the greatest strides toward that goal. The response I received back from the TCEQ was that they are prevented from including Tesla because the incentive is only available on qualifying vehicles sold or leased by entities authorized to sell or lease such vehicles in the State of Texas. For that reason, Tesla is excluded.

If our law makers are going to enact laws that intentionally limit commerce in the State then we need to start looking very closely at the legal and media options that may be available to us to hold individual law makers and the Governor accountable for their actions. The same goes for the Texas Auto Dealers Association. My office is in Austin so I am close to the Capitol. Let me know how I can help and I will continue to keep you posted on my efforts as well.

Craig

 

[SW2Fiddler]

I plan to attend this!

From an email...

As an advocate of Tesla in Texas, we invite you to help kick off the legislative session this Thursday at the State Capitol. We will host an owner meet up to support Tesla's efforts to introduce legislation to allow U.S.-based manufactures of all-electric or all-battery powered vehicles to sell and service directly to Texas consumers.

At 1:00 PM, CEO Elon Musk will make his way to the Capitol to speak to our advocates and thank them for their support. The Model X Design Prototype will also be on display. Parking will be available to Tesla Owners.

 

[Chris TX]

From an email...

What??? As in THIS Thursday? This is some great notice, there. Who sent you that email?

 

[TexasEV]

What??? As in THIS Thursday? This is some great notice, there. Who sent you that email?

It just says from Tesla Motors, no name. I'll be there but I'm really angry about this example of poor communications once again. This had to have been planned well before today. It's difficult to rearrange my schedule on such short notice.

 

[dsm363]

Doh! Wish I could be there.
They always seem to give zero notice to all their events. Like they don't want too many people to show up.

 

[ggies07]

Could I come even if I'm not an owner? I would really like to show my support since I live in this state. I think I remember seeing people in the back of the room for the one 2 years ago. Will it be open to the public again?

 

[TexasEV]

Could I come even if I'm not an owner? I would really like to show my support since I live in this state. I think I remember seeing people in the back of the room for the one 2 years ago. Will it be open to the public again?

It appears to be an outdoor rally, it says Colorado St. between 11th and 13th St., along the west gate of the Capitol. What you're referring to from two years ago was a committee hearing. No hearings are scheduled yet-- there aren't even committee assignments yet and no Tesla bill has been pre-filed. I would think the more the merrier at the rally.

 

[wart]

Well, nuts. I'd really like to go to the rally but I already have other plans that day.

Hopefully we'll get more notice for the next step.

 

[SW2Fiddler]

Doh! Wish I could be there.
They always seem to give zero notice to all their events. Like they don't want too many people to show up.

Or they want us to fly under the NADAr.

 

[bollar]

From an email...

Argh. I didn't get the email either and I don't think I can attend with this kind of notice.

 

[dsm363]

Invite your legislator or their staff to be your guest. Say you'll pick them up in your Tesla maybe.

 

[ggies07]

It appears to be an outdoor rally, it says Colorado St. between 11th and 13th St., along the west gate of the Capitol. What you're referring to from two years ago was a committee hearing. No hearings are scheduled yet-- there aren't even committee assignments yet and no Tesla bill has been pre-filed. I would think the more the merrier at the rally.

ah, I thought from the email "we invite you to help kick off the legislative session" that it meant it was starting the committee hearings. Hmm....since it's outside, I guess I would be the odd man out looking weird with no car. hahaha

 

[Chris TX]

It just says from Tesla Motors, no name. I'll be there but I'm really angry about this example of poor communications once again. This had to have been planned well before today. It's difficult to rearrange my schedule on such short notice.

I see it now in the email address we used for the car. We'll be making the drive down from Dallas for this. See everyone there and possibly some at the Waco SC!

 

[bollar]

If we were paying attention, I guess we would have seen this:

http://www.txdot.gov/ttf/program.htm

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.	LUNCHEON	6th Floor, Austin Grand Ballroom
	Governor Rick Perry Leadership in Transportation Award KEYNOTE INTERVIEWElon Musk, CEO and Chief Product Officer, Tesla Motors Evan Smith, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, The Texas Tribune