Louis Rossmann of Rossmann Repair Group in New York started a crowdfunding campaign to collect $6 million to bring a "Right to Repair" initiative direct to the voters, in order to skip state legislature.
Rossman started the non-profit organization Repair Preservation Group Action Fund, and says that funding a direct ballot initiative will mean "people — not politicians — decide on whether [it] becomes law."
"I have been traveling and testifying at Right to Repair bill hearings for six years now," writes Rossmann on his GoFundMe page. "Sometimes, the politicians we speak to are uninterested in our cause. Sometimes they are, but cannot vote on the issue because other items come up in session that are seen as a higher priority."
"Sometimes they misinterpret the bill," he continues. "Sometimes, the consumer protection chair runs a car dealership. In other cases, they just laugh us out of the room."
According to Rossmann, a direct ballot initiative is how the the auto industry already has right to repair legislation. Under such an initiative, if a certain number of signatures are collected, states put the specified measure directly to a vote.
Rossmann says that it isn't just an issue of collecting enough signatures, however. "The reason we have not done a ballot initiative is because they are very expensive!" he writes.
Rossmann says that "if I reach my goal or within earshot of it," he intends to have his Preservation Group Action Fund retain this company. "If I do not reach my goal, we will conduct traditional lobbying efforts to support Right to Repair bills in states that have introduced legislation," he continues.
Rossman started the non-profit organization Repair Preservation Group Action Fund, and says that funding a direct ballot initiative will mean "people — not politicians — decide on whether [it] becomes law."
"I have been traveling and testifying at Right to Repair bill hearings for six years now," writes Rossmann on his GoFundMe page. "Sometimes, the politicians we speak to are uninterested in our cause. Sometimes they are, but cannot vote on the issue because other items come up in session that are seen as a higher priority."
"Sometimes they misinterpret the bill," he continues. "Sometimes, the consumer protection chair runs a car dealership. In other cases, they just laugh us out of the room."
According to Rossmann, a direct ballot initiative is how the the auto industry already has right to repair legislation. Under such an initiative, if a certain number of signatures are collected, states put the specified measure directly to a vote.
Rossmann says that it isn't just an issue of collecting enough signatures, however. "The reason we have not done a ballot initiative is because they are very expensive!" he writes.
Rossmann says that "if I reach my goal or within earshot of it," he intends to have his Preservation Group Action Fund retain this company. "If I do not reach my goal, we will conduct traditional lobbying efforts to support Right to Repair bills in states that have introduced legislation," he continues.
