Neil Trindade: This mechanic supports HB 649 to end vehicle inspections

To The Daily Sun,

Regarding the split House vote on ending the state vehicle inspection boondoggle taking place March 6, in Concord. Some excerpts from my letter to the House Feb. 23:

First, for those who are short on time; my wife of 31 years and I raised two kids here after falling in love with each other and this state many years earlier. We both support HB 649 aimed at ending the motor vehicle inspection program in its entirety.

Since taking an interest in this cause and understanding some of the views being put forth, I feel compelled to try to dispel some of the misguided, public opinions on this subject despite knowing that it may put my family business at risk. I wonder how organizations like iATN, MOTOR, Snap-on, PTEN, Diagnostic Network, NAPA, O'Reilly, Autel, Federated, LRCC and the like would feel about some of the opinions held in these circles regarding the “crooked mechanic”. I’ll just keep that under my hat for now. As a 30-year ASE L1 certified master auto and light truck technician with over 40 years of experience in this trade including one year as an instructor for NHCTC and almost 19 years as a shop owner in Laconia, I feel like I have the credentials to be considered an expert in this arena.

Imagine elected officials decided to mandate yearly furnace inspections and subsequent repairs by authorized repairmen in order to remain eligible for other municipal services like fire protection. Do readers think these HVAC technicians will develop a warm reputation for being gracious and honest statewide? Do readers think these repairs will be considered a boon to their profession over time, as they greedily impose their will upon the elderly?

Neil Trindade

Laconia