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CORRECTION: The announcement this morning was to enact regulations targeting auto repair and tow lot operators - not used car sales. Which makes my comparison below more or less moot, since Barry is focusing on the used car sales lots. Mea culpa.
D.C. Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) on Friday announced his intention to introduce emergency legislation this week that would prevent the city from enacting its tough new restrictions on the sales of used automobiles, a pet project of Mayor Adrian Fenty. The crackdown, Barry argues, is likely to hurt legitimate businesses and residents who need used cars. For his part, Fenty has been steadfast in his plan to clean up the shady used car lots that once peppered parts of the city, convinced they were largely fronts for the resale of stolen vehicles around the region.
Well it seems Fenty isn't waiting for the outcome of tomorrow's D.C. Council legislative session to enact fully all the new used auto sales regulations he's had planned. In a strongly-worded release today, the mayor announced the regulations would be enacted immediately. From the release:
“The residents of the District of Columbia deserve high quality and professional auto repair services in their own neighborhoods,” Fenty said. “However, residents do not want businesses that expand their operations onto sidewalks and in alleys and turn city streets into veritable ‘chop shops.’”The strict regulations had always been planned to go into effect this week, but have to wonder whether the mayor's show of force today might only serve to embitter a few more D.C. Council members by tomorrow morning.Today’s announcement kicks off what will be a 30-day citywide sweep of more than 179 licensed auto repair shops and 22 tow lot operators across the city. In an initial sweep on May 1, DCRA placarded six auto repair shops for violations and DPW towed 45 vehicles from four lots.
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"convinced they were largely fronts for the resale of stolen vehicles around the region. "
And storage lots for eventual transfer for sale in oversees markets, temporary tag mills, chop shops, etc. Basically anything and everything, with the occasional legit resale thrown in as windowdressing.
I'm definitely with Fenty on this one .
For once, I agree with Fenty. The Capital City Diner guys are a perfect example of how these "used car" lots can be turned around.
Those six shops that were closed down--
Does anyone know which/where those were?
Well, at least one of them was the African guys on Bladensburg. You remember? The ones who had illegally tapped into the PEPCO main? Then were caught dumping toxic waste into a stream running by the back of their property? And when they were questioned, were all like, "What? I'm just a guy trying to make a buck!!"
Such a sad day for the community when those fine upstanding Maryland residents were forced to close shop.
i'm sort of amazed at how long some of these outfits have hung around. the one on 15th near P in nw always seems so out of place, but there it remains. maybe they charge a zillion dollars for repairs, or maybe it's one of these chop shops.
Barry succkks
"...likely to hurt legitimate businesses and residents who need used cars..."
Let me rewrite that:
"...likely to hurt illegitimate businesses, and residents who need to circumvent District vehicle inspection laws..."
Your welcome.
Crack dealers and criminals need used cars bought from in DC.
Most people of lower income and modest means go over to MD or VA to buy used cars where they are cheaper.
These car lots are a sham. They exist primarily to provide paper tagged vehicles for drug dealers and those that can't or won't get insurance for their vehicles.
Everybody (including Barry) has known this for decades.
I wouldn't be surprised to find out this is a result of a lawsuit from someone that got hit by an uninsured motorist that got their tags from one of these places. A lawyer of even middling skills could make a pretty good link to the city as a party to sue because of the open secret of how these places operate.
I've said it before and I will say it again, ban all temporary tags in DC. If you want to drive a vehicle in DC, even for a single day, you need to go and register it properly. Have a 24-hour DMV processing center if necessary, but get the paper tags off the streets.