The City Paper’s Mike DeBonis may have the most intriguing news of the day — under the 2010 budget proposal released today by Mayor Adrian Fenty, D.C. drivers would no longer have to get their cars inspected. Wait; what? Really? Well, kind of. You’ll still have to head down to the city’s one inspection station for a federally mandated emissions inspection, but no longer will you have to sit through the usual safety inspection that checks everything from seat belts to headlights and brakes. Doing away with the inspections will reportedly save $400,000 a year. Fenty’s budget also calls for the DMV to “transition to an online and mail-in only system for vehicle registration renewals.” You can currently renew your registration online and through the mail, though certain restrictions exist. What changes are made to adapt to an all online and mail-in system remain to be seen.
Martin Austermuhle