Folks,

We REALLY need to drive this HARD!!!!

Towing Form Letter Application

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letter sent

The application has been updated.

You can use the form letter or write your own and paste it into the application.

Time to get it done y'all!!!!!!!!!!

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Please call Mr. Basnight and thank him for his support!!!!!

Phone: (919) 733-6854
Email: Marcb@ncleg.net

In today's N& O:

Let's put wide boats to another vote, Basnight says
Submitted by BruceSiceloff on 08/18/2008 - 16:22
Tags: Crosstown Traffic | Safety | Transportation politics
http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2007/H2167Veto/govsig.pdf

http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2007/H216 ... sig.pdfSen. Marc Basnight, the state Senate leader, wants to bring the General Assembly back to Raleigh to override Gov. Mike Easley’s veto of a bill allowing wider boat trailers on state roads at night.

Easley put his signature on a big red VETO stamp Sunday, saying it would be dangerous to let 9.5-foot-wide boats and trailers travel after dark on roads and bridges as narrow as 18 feet wide. He warned of collisions with other wide boats, and with school buses on pre-dawn routes.

“He doesn’t impress me on this issue,” Basnight said Monday. “I would certainly be for an override.
“I believe the bill is valuable to the economy, and it’s a very safe, well-constructed piece of legislation.”
The measure originated in the House, so Basnight is waiting for House Speaker Joe Hackney to make the first move. A spokesman said Hackney is checking to see whether House members want to come back to Raleigh for an override vote or let the veto stand.

If legislators decided to come back to Raleigh, there would be little doubt about the outcome. Easley has few legislative allies on this issue.

The original measure passed the House by 108-5 and the Senate by 43-0. Supporters said the measure could keep North Carolina from losing popular fishing tournaments, and Basnight said it would help the state protect boat-manufacturing jobs.

Rep. Arthur Williams of Washington, N.C., sponsored the bill to relax state limits on the width of boats that fishermen and other recreational boaters can haul on state roads. It would allow boats up to 9.5 feet wide, day or night — and up to 10 feet wide during daylight hours only.

Current law OKs boats up to 8.5 feet wide, day or night, without permits. Motorists now can get permits to haul boats up to 10 feet wide — but not on holidays or Sundays or at night.

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TIME TO MOVE PEOPLE!!!!

We need everyone to do several things:

1. Read all of the "talking points" information below and use this information for phone calls and emails.

2. Call and email House Speaker Joe Hackney's Office asking for a special session for an override veto vote.
-- Contact info: Legislative Building: 919-733-3451; Direct: 919-929-0323; Email: Joeh@ncleg.net

3. Call and email President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight's office and thank him for supporting HB 2167 and his willingness to call a special session for an override veto vote.
-- Contact info: 919-733-6854; email: Marcb@ncleg.net

4. Send the form letter below. It will be sent to ALL legislators.

5. Contact your local representatives: Who Represents Me

6. If you would like to send your own personal letter to all Legislators via email, click here.

Talking Points

*These boats are already traveling our roads
*This veto will have a negative impact on businesses along the coast during this fall's fishing season
*This is really a boating access issue
*Tourism and boating related businesses are already suffering downturns due to economic conditions
*There has still been no data to support the belief that this bill will be a safety issue
*There are MANY other vehicles on the road wider than 114 inches

Form Letter:

August, 18 2008

Re: Override Veto of House Bill 2167

Dear Legislators,

It is time to make history in North Carolina by SUCCESSFULLY overturning Governor Easley’s veto of House Bill 2167 entitled: Towing of Recreational Boats/Exemption.

You, the elected Senators and Representatives of North Carolina, attempted to appease the Governor’s concerns by reducing the maximum towing width from 120 inches to 114 inches, and despite your attempt at goodwill, he still vetoed the bill.

Boats up to 10 foot wide have been traveling the roadways in North Carolina for many years and doing so safely. Accident statistics prove it. There has been absolutely no argument about that. This legislation simply allows boaters the ability to use their boats and get them to and from the water in a reasonable manner. H2167 is trying to make legal what people have really been doing with their boats for many years, prior to the past year’s unnecessary enforcement activity. Laws that are not enforced are not really laws at all, so people become adjusted to what is being enforced. Again, boats up to 10 foot in width have been traveling NC roadways for years, most without permits (right or wrong,) because the laws were not enforced. They have done so for many years very safely. A piece of paper does nothing to make boat trailering safer.

Boaters who purchased boats thinking they have no issue with trailering it now are faced with not being able to get to the water after work on Fridays, cannot get back home from a trip on Sundays, and can’t tow their boats on holidays. Does this sound fair to you? And it is not, as Governor Easley implies, just “extremely large boats”. There are many 18 to 23 foot vessels that are affected by this. Rubrails and trailer guides have become major issues due to the 3 to 4 inches of width they add.

The August 2008 edition of Boating Industry magazine showed that North Carolina was ranked 5th in the nation in boating industry expenditures. That’s a lot of revenue for businesses and the state. Hundreds of small and large businesses, both marine and tourism related, depend on the boating public for their livelihood. In this time of economic hardship, particularly in the boating industry, this veto sends a clear message to boaters and to boating and tourism industries.....North Carolina is not going to be a boating friendly state. These industries certainly do not need further negative impacts. In the boating industry, plants are closing and people are losing their jobs. We need laws that support the industry, not a veto that helps destroy it.

You have strongly supported H2167, nearly unanimously, and for that we, the boaters and boating industry of North Carolina, thank you. Many, many businesses, both marine and tourism related, are also grateful. We will remember it in November!

We REALLY need your help one more time. Make North Carolina legislative history!

PLEASE agree to return to Raleigh and vote to override Governor Easley’s veto of House Bill 2167!

Thank you in advance for your kind cooperation and support.

Sincerely,

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Add these two gentleman to your list of folks to call/email.

Hugh Holloman (Majority Leader) Phone: 919-715-0873, 336-956-1385 Email: Hughh@ncleg.net
Bill Owens (Rules Chair) Phone: 919-733-0010, 252-335-0167 Email: Billo@ncleg.net

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CALL YOUR LOCAL REPS NOW AND ASK FOR SUPPORT!

THIS IS A MUST!

WHO REPRESENTS ME

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**EDIT TO CORRECT MIS-SPELLED NAME**

Add these two gentleman to your list of folks to call/email.

Hugh Holliman (Majority Leader) Phone: 919-715-0873, 336-956-1385 Email: Hughh@ncleg.net
Bill Owens (Rules Chair) Phone: 919-733-0010, 252-335-0167 Email: Billo@ncleg.net

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Letter sent.
Odie

SO YOU DON'T THINK THIS EFFECTS YOU. GO OUTSIDE AND MEASURE THE WIDEST DISTANCE OF YOUR LOAD WHICH IS NORMALLY THE GUIDE POSTS. YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED LIKE I WAS.

MAKE THOSE CALLS AND EMAILS FOLKS!!!!!

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