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Applause again for Rep. Clyde Norita
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Posted on Aug 28 2005
As an environmental scientist and advocate for decreasing the CNMI dependency on petroleum for energy, thanks are given to the only proactive legislator that I have witnessed in my 42 years on Saipan. His proposal to give a tax incentive for buying Hybrid Electrical Vehicles (HEVs) instead of bitching about who is to blame for our fuel crisis demonstrates what legislators are supposed to do: solve problems, not create them. I certainly hope that Rep. Norita will be successful in his bid for senator. I endorse Rep. Norita’s legislation and hope the Senate will act upon it favorably. In addition, a governor who would not endorse the purchase of gas-guzzling SUVs for agencies with a limited need for transportation would also receive my vote.
I have done considerable research into the cost of HEVs on Saipan and have compared these prices to prices for the same vehicle in Hawaii. I am amazed that an HEV for sale on Saipan at $28,800 sells for $21,800 in Hawaii. The retailers of HEVs should definitely re-examine their selling prices. We on Saipan are often told by retailers that the high price of goods here are because of shipping costs. Without knowing the details, the consumer has little basis for disputing this assumption, but one must certainly wonder about its honesty. Surely it doesn’t cost $7,000 to ship a car from Hawaii to Saipan.
The government might also consider obtaining its HEVs directly from the manufacturer. Imagine the short term and long term savings.
Keep up the good work, Clyde.
Roger N. Ludwick
Saipan
