Any locality may adopt an ordinance imposing a license tax, in an amount not exceeding $100 $500 annually, upon the owners of motor vehicles which do not display current license plates and which are not exempted from the requirements of displaying such license plates under the provisions of Article 6 (§ 46.2-662 et seq.) of Chapter 6 of Title 46.2, §§ 46.2-1554 and 46.2-1555, are not in a public dump, in an "automobile graveyard" as defined in § 33.1-348 or in the possession of a licensed junk dealer or licensed motor vehicle dealer. Such ordinance shall exempt from such tax any vehicles which are stored on private property for a period not in excess of sixty days, for the purpose of removing parts for the repair of another vehicle. Nothing in this section shall be applicable to any vehicle being held or stored by or at the direction of any governmental authority, to any vehicle owned by a member of the armed forces on active duty or to any vehicle regularly stored within a structure.
Below is from Tom.
Bill is precedent setting in that it allows for an ongoing tax fee with no basis in the actual value of your vehicle. Importantly, this Bill if passed would set the precedent for sidestepping the personal property tax which our antique vehicles are now exempt from. It would give localities the ability to tax our vehicles at a flat rate in the future, nullifying our current exempt status. At the very least, this Bill uses Taxation to effect de facto zoning restrictions...this would be only the beginning of our problems.
This Bill must be stopped quickly through calls and emails to your Delegates and Senators. Each and every one of us can afford the few minute it takes to make a call and send an email...BOTH are recommended to ensure that our representatives know we mean business. I have listed several talking points below as well as a sample letter for you to use as a model. Please be polite and write your objections in your own words. Form letters are simply not effective. You will note that I have stayed away from any mention of our tax exempt status for antique vehicles. States are currently desperate for revenue and we don't want to give them any ideas.
PLEASE pass this along to all interested parties. Remember all members of your family can send emails and make phone calls independently.
Thanks as always for your interest and support of our hobby. We can win this as we have before, but not without immediate participation.
Sincerely,
Tom Cox
President Southwestern Virginia Car Council
AACA National Director
The case against HB878 patroned by Delegate Mark D. Sickles (D) of Franconia in Northern Virginia should be as follows:
Bill HB878 Seeks to undo, through punitive taxation, Bill SB204 passed overwhelmingly several years ago by the House and Senate supporting Virginias Motorsports Hobby, and allowing for the ownership of at least two unregistered hobby vehicles screened or otherwise out of public view.
HB878 seeks to discourage participation in the Motorsports hobby by disproportionately penalizing the ownership of legal private property through taxation in an arbitrary and capricious manner.
HB878 Will unfairly burden and prevent families of modest means from participation in the automotive hobby as well as preventing those with financial hardship from the time honored tradition of working on ones own vehicle.
HB878 is a job killer in an already difficult time. Given that HB878 will discourage the restoration, building, and repair of vintage, race vehicles, and basic transportation it will negatively impact struggling independent businesses such as automotive body and paint shops, upholstery shops, machine shops, and general repair shops. Additionally this Bill will have a negative impact upon the sale of aftermarket repair parts worth millions of dollars in the Commonwealth, which will impact state sales tax revenues in a negative manner.
At best HB878 is a disingenuous attempt to utilize punitive taxation at the local level for the purposes of enacting de facto zoning restrictions. It is a deceptive and flagrant misuse of the tax system.
Existing laws already give localities the right to police and prevent public eyesores and the keeping of junk vehicles.
Sample Letter:
Dear _________________
I am writing today to voice my objections to House Bill 878 which negatively impacts the Motorsports Hobby in Virginia. This Bill seeks to punish citizens for the ownership of legal private property and does so in an arbitrary and capricious manner. It deceptively seeks to over ride SB204 passed overwhelmingly several years ago, which allows the ownership of at least two unregistered hobby vehicles screened or otherwise kept out of ordinary public view.
This Bill will have a negative impact upon the car hobby within our state by preventing families from participating in the age old tradition of building and restoring cars, and as such will negatively impact all related businesses associated with automotive parts sales, and service, such as auto body and paint shops, as well as uphostery and general repair shops. This will have a negative impact upon jobs as well as general tax revenues at a time when they are needed.
HB878 represents the worst of legislation as it misuses the tax system and seeks to alter legal behavior by our citizens through deception at the legislative level.
I ask that you vote to defeat HB 878 and affirm your support for Virginias Motorsports hobbyists who through their activities raise millions of dollars each year for Virginias charities and church outreach programs through their shows, races, and other events, while supporting hundreds of jobs and state revenue.
Sincerely,
__________________
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