You see that 1997 Chevrolet Camaro SS 30th Anniversary Edition there? In junior high, that was the dream car right there, and you could make mine T-topped, powered by the rare-as-hen’s-teeth LT-4 and a six-speed, please. That car, as of this year, is twenty years old, and if the state of Oregon made good on a threat that came out in the form of House Bill 2877, this car, along with any other vehicle twenty years old or older that wasn’t registered as an antique vehicle, would end up costing you a thousand dollars a year in tax. Yes, you read that right…1997 Camry, 1997 F-15o, 1997 Mustang, 1997 Durango…all a thousand dollars every time you renew your plates. The news flashed across automotive media outlets like a firestorm, and by the end of the day

Here’s the direct wording from the bill that was introduced to Oregon’s House of Representatives on  February 9th, 2017 that sent an icy shiver down the automotive world’s back:

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. Section 2 of this 2017 Act is added to and made a part of the Oregon Vehicle Code.

SECTION 2. (1) An impact tax is hereby imposed on motor vehicles as provided in thissection. A person shall pay the tax if the person owns a motor vehicle registered in this state and the model year of the motor vehicle is 20 years old or older on January 1 of the current year. The tax shall be collected by the Department of Transportation every five years on or before January 31 of the year in which the tax is due.

(2) The amount of the tax is $1,000.

(3) The department for good cause may extend for up to 30 days the time for making any payment under this section. The extension may be granted at any time if a written request is filed with the department before January 31 of the year in which the tax is due.

(4) Interest shall be added at the rate of five-sixths of one percent per month or fraction thereof for each month, or fraction of a month, from the time the payment was originally required to be filed, not including any extensions, to the time of payment.

(5) At any time a registered owner fails to pay the impact tax, the department may en- force collection by the issuance of a distraint warrant for the collection of the delinquent amount and all penalties, interest and collection charges accrued thereon. The warrant shall be issued, recorded and proceeded upon in the same manner and shall have the same force and effect as is prescribed with respect to warrants for the collection of delinquent income taxes.

(6) The registered owner shall pay the tax to the department in the form and manner prescribed by the department.

(7) The department may adopt rules to carry out the provisions of this section, including rules setting forth circumstances or conditions under which a penalty may be assessed for failure to pay all or a portion of the tax.

(8) This section does not apply to motor vehicles registered as antique vehicles under ORS 805.010.
Now, to be fair, a representative from House Speaker Tina Kotek’s office told KATU-2 (Portland) that the bill would be scrapped, which is a sigh of relief, but only for a moment. Oregon might have had a flash of insanity before coming to it’s senses, but we’ve seen similar events both proposed and actually executed before. Cash for Clunkers ate 690,114 vehicles alone, many of which would be about 20-30 years old now, and there are pushes like the BC Scrap-It Program in British Columbia, Canada, that offer incentives for citizens to scrap their older car for an incentive to put towards a new or used electric vehicle that stand as an inspiration to some of the more car-adverse groups in the country. But who suffers under that deal? Not the guy who has restored muscle cars or collectable, antique vehicles. How about the new driver or the parents of a new driver who are looking at the first set of wheels? What about older people who own and maintain their vehicle well, but have no real inclination to get rid of it just because it’s older? What about the group of drivers who simply like older vehicles?

Oregon’s House Bill 2877 is, according to the House Speaker’s office, dead in the water. But if you think the fight against older cars is dead as well, think again. Between attempts to stimulate economy through new vehicle purchases, the stigma that older vehicles face, and elements of society that cast a downward eye if you don’t march in time with progression, this is just another warning shot for the automotive aftermarket and to people who own, use, operate and care for older vehicles.