MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - Memphis city motorists aren't the only ones fired up about the state's new car inspection plan. Memphis Mayor A C Wharton and his team at City Hall don't like it either.
The auto inspection stations are still in operation. City workers are still checking the lights, the wipers, and especially the exhaust system. The stuff that nightmares are made of come from those tailpipes at times, floating into the skies over Memphis - creating headaches for us, and work for the Environmental Protection Agency.
"Clearly air quality is an issue for all Shelby County residents," said George Little, the city's Chief Administrative Officer. "We think whether or not everybody necessarily has to go through an inspection process, the city alone should not bear the cost of clean air attainment."
The state will take over doing the emissions tests in June. They will continue to do the testing only in Memphis. That leaves thirty percent of the people living in Shelby County free of the inspection process, although Shelby County is responsible for the air quality.
"It's a county problem. But we know 30 percent of the population in this county is not being tested.""As far as vehicle inspections, you're right," replied Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell.
"That's part of the problem.""Well it's part of the problem, but there are other issues related to air quality where the county is very much involved in it."
George Little says if Memphis has to pay, a lot of people could end up getting financially knocked out.
"This is going to put a lot of pressure on the city, not only financially, but how we treat our employees and how we treat our citizens. But we're not going to stop with this."
George Little says this fight is kind of like the Memphis Tigers NCAA game against St. Mary's. Nothing is over until the final buzzer sounds.
