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California is currently suffering with a massive fiscal crisis. 
Budgets are being slashed for schools, healthcare, police, and
other vital services.  With that in mind, why would our state
government even consider spending millions of dollars to buy
worthless clunker cars?  The argument that eliminating these old
clunkers will significantly reduce air pollution is a false
argument.  

The percentage of older pre-1985 cars that are currently in use as
"daily drivers" is less than 2 percent of the total fleet.  Most of
the pre-1985 cars get bad mileage.  No one is driving these cars
because they are obsolete and unaffordable to drive at today's gas
prices.  If you go out and check the street in front of the state
capital, you will have to wait a long time to see a pre-1985 car in
use.    

These cars are mostly high-mileage vehicles that are worn out and
due to go to the junkyard soon - even without a payment from the
state of California.  The cost of a major mechanical repair to
these old cars is much greater than the value of the car.  Many of
these cars are parked because they are no longer functional.  Why
should the state pay thousands of dollars for a car that isn't
worth a hundred dollars?  Additionally, the owners of these cars
can already get tax credits for donating their old car to charity. 


AB 118 doesn't make much sense, financially, or environmentally. 
Potentially, the bill could benefit car dealers by giving free
state tax dollars to car buyers but the state will probably have to
borrow the money to fund the program.  Also, the bill might benefit
speculators who would buy up old clunkers for a few hundred dollars
apiece - which would then be turned in for taxpayer funded vouchers
worth thousands more than the price of an old junk car. 

Two thumbs down on this clunky clunker bill.  Please use the money
to fund essential state services.