County Ponders Raising Emission Fee

County Ponders Raising Emission Fee


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Samantha Hayes reportingIf you drive a car, the 25-dollar fee for your emission's test may be going up, in Salt Lake County.

The Salt Lake County council is discussing a fee increase of 7.50. That would raise the maximum price to 32.50 But if your car is six years old or newer, you get to skip every other year.

It's just one of those things you have to do.

"LINDA SIMMONS/SALT LAKE COUNTY: KIND OF DREAD IT. I CAME FROM A PLACE WHERE THEY DIDN'T HAVE EMISSIONS AND I'M NOT ACCUSTOMED TO IT."

But unless you are accustomed to breathing in bad air, the environmental friendly emissions test is a good thing..

"JIM BRANDE/SALT LAKE VALLEY HEALTH DEPARTMENT: APPROXIMATELY 70 PERCENT OF TOTAL AIR POLLUTION IN SALT LAKE COUNTY IS ATTRIBUTED TO MOTOR VEHICLES."

And the Health Department says the test is cutting down on that.

Jim Brande Salt Lake Valley Health Dept. :" WE ARE REDUCING EMISSIONS, CARBON MONOXIDE EMISSIONS BY 82 TONS A DAY."

But owners of these emissions testing centers say providing the service will cost them more because the state legislature now allows cars 6 years old and newer to skip every other year.

"JOHN PAPANIKILAS/VEHICLE EMISSIONS TESTING ASSOCIATION: SO THE STATIONS WILL LOSE 24 PERCENT OF REVENUE."

"SAMANTHA HAYES/EYEWITNESS NEWS: PROPONENTS SAY IF THE PRICE IS NOT RAISED THE LOSS WILL BE SUBSTANTIAL. NOT ONLY IS THERE THE COST OF OPERATION BUT ALSO THE COST OF VEHICLE EMISSIONS TESTING EQUIPMENT..EACH ONE IS 31 THOUSAND DOLLARS."

"JOHN PAPANIKOLAS/VEHICLE EMISSIONS TESTING ASSOCIATION: I THINK A LOT OF THE STATIONS WOULD GO OUT OF BUSINESS, A LOT OF QUICK TEST STATIONS..I THINK OTHERS WOULD BE GREATLY WEAKENED IT WOULD BE A REAL SEVERE BLOW TO THEM."

For some drivers though, emissions economics just means a blow to the wallet.

LINDA SIMMONS/SALT LAKE COUNTY: "AND I READ JUST IN THERE WHILE I WAS WAITING THAT THERE IS A PROPOSED 7.50 INCREASE IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND I WOULDN'T BE IN FAVOR OF THAT."¤0 ]] C1.5 G 0 [[

It's important to note that since April, when the local Health Department says the emissions equipment was paid off, service centers have been saving five dollars per test.

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