2/29: Utah Heating Up FAST, Owners Represent!

[Denarius]

Fiver, I'm buying you dinner. Pm me your contact details and we will set something up (once I feel better).

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Same goes for any other Tesla owners that made it.

 

[mrongey]

Shoot, I need to venture out of the Model 3 forum a little more often. I was told by someone at the showroom in Salt Lake today that they will not be able to take reservations for the Model 3 on the 31st. I emailed my state senator and representative expressing my disappointment, but just now found out about this meeting.

 

[CTemp222]

Anyone know where I can find a video of the hearing?

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Shoot, I need to venture out of the Model 3 forum a little more often. I was told by someone at the showroom in Salt Lake today that they will not be able to take reservations for the Model 3 on the 31st. I emailed my state senator and representative expressing my disappointment, but just now found out about this meeting.

Does that mean Texas and other anti Tesla states will not be taking reservations?

 

[KJD]

Well I never made it up there tonight, but I do want to say THANK YOU to all of those that did make it up there to the capitol building. The room looked like it was full.

Any indication of how many of those people were Tesla owners and enthusiasts ?

 

[CTemp222]

Looks like they havn't put the video on their server yet :cursing:

 

[MTBudge]

Too bad they didn't ask for public comment, I had some words ready :wink: Would have thrown them to see a teenager up there.

 

[Fiver]

Anyone know where I can find a video of the hearing?

My old slow laptop is crunching away and I'll upload it to YouTube tomorrow.

I talked to Kim after the meeting. She basically said the bill is dead. It might come back next year but a lot of her bill's future depends on what happens with the court case. Remember that she originally was on our side, she was just trying to find a compromise between Tesla and the stupid dealers. In her perfect world Tesla could just set up shop and none of this should be necessary. Unfortunately it's not a perfect world so she was trying to get something going.

 

[Bimbels]

I admit I know little about how the whole process works, so I ask: is it Tesla's ultimate goal, in having these cases go to state (UT, MI, maybe others in the future) supreme courts to ultimately go before the US supreme court? So this can be decided once and for all on a federal level and they can end these state by state battles?

 

[Fiver]

Here is a link to the video of the meeting. Sorry about the audio quality, I had to just use the built in mic on the camera since there was no way to get a clean audio feed from the mics into the camera.

<a href="https://youtu.be/M_4R2Mo_fdk" target="_blank">

Unrelated side note, unscientific visual scan of the room showed about 35 macs and one single windows PC.

 

[dgpcolorado]

I admit I know little about how the whole process works, so I ask: is it Tesla's ultimate goal, in having these cases go to state (UT, MI, maybe others in the future) supreme courts to ultimately go before the US supreme court? So this can be decided once and for all on a federal level and they can end these state by state battles?

Don't know about a national court strategy but Utah may be something of a special case because they have a section in the state constitution about supporting free markets and prohibiting monopolies. To a non lawyer like me it seems as if Tesla would have a strong case at the Utah Supreme Court. A court victory, should it ever happen, might get some momentum going in other states that block Tesla sales and service even though they likely won't have the same language in their state constitutions.

While courts can be unpredictable, it appears that Tesla Motors believes a court case is worth a try in Utah.

 

[tinm]

A Utah update. It's now before the Utah Supreme Court.

(Electrek article) Tesla Direct Sales Lawsuit: Dealerships argue they could sell Tesla vehicles because ‘they have 4 wheels’

 

[Larry]

A Utah update. It's now before the Utah Supreme Court.

(Electrek article) Tesla Direct Sales Lawsuit: Dealerships argue they could sell Tesla vehicles because ‘they have 4 wheels’

Good luck guys. It's incredibly sad how graft and corruption stunts the growth of humankind.

 

[tinm]

Here's the latest info from the Utah Supreme Court. Still trying to find out any upcoming calendar dates. Not sure if all the hearings before the court are done and the court will now decide, or, whether they've presented their case to the court yet.
Anyone know?

Utah Supreme Court

Title: Tesla Motors v. State Tax Commission

Docket No: 20150792 Docket Date: 09/25/2015
Agency: TAX COMMISSION Case: 15-1170
Status: At Issue

Date Action Disposition Date
---------- ------------------------------ ----------- ----------
09/25/2015 Receipt for Payment
09/25/2015 Writ of Review Filed
09/28/2015 New Appeal Letter Sent
09/28/2015 Letter to Agency/Writ Filed
09/28/2015 Pourover to COA
10/08/2015 Retention Recomend Ltr Filed Granted 11/16/2015
10/16/2015 Docketing Statement Filed
10/19/2015 Resp to Retention Recom Ltr
10/20/2015 Record Filed - Civil
11/16/2015 Retention Letter Granted
11/16/2015 Set Briefing Schedule
11/18/2015 Appearance of Counsel
11/19/2015 Extension of Time for Appellan Stipulatio 11/19/2015
12/01/2015 Mtn for Admission Pro Hac Vice Granted 12/23/2015
12/01/2015 Mtn for Admission Pro Hac Vice Granted 12/23/2015
12/09/2015 Mtn for Admission Pro Hac Vice Granted 12/23/2015
12/09/2015 Mtn for Admission Pro Hac Vice Granted 12/23/2015
12/23/2015 Admission Pro Hac Vice Granted
12/23/2015 Admission Pro Hac Vice Granted
12/23/2015 Admission Pro Hac Vice Granted
12/23/2015 Admission Pro Hac Vice Granted
01/26/2016 Extension of Time for Appellan NAT 01/27/2016
01/28/2016 Appellant's Brief Filed
02/03/2016 Extension of Time for Appellee Stipulatio 02/03/2016
02/09/2016 Brief on Disc filed
03/02/2016 Record Checkout Auth. Letter
03/28/2016 Appellee's Brief Filed
03/30/2016 Brief on Disc filed
04/22/2016 Motion to Accept Amicus Curiae Granted 05/25/2016
04/22/2016 Memorandum of Points & Authori
05/02/2016 Appellant's Reply Brief Filed
05/25/2016 Motion to Accept Amicus Grante
05/26/2016 Brief on Disc filed
05/26/2016 Certificate of Service
06/24/2016 Amicus Curiae's Brief Filed
06/30/2016 Brief on Disc filed
07/08/2016 Misc Motion
07/11/2016 Motion to Strike Brief
12/31/2099 Reply to Supplementl Brief Due Stayed 07/29/2016

 

[Electric700]

We can try to contact the Utah Supreme Court to very politely encourage the judges to rule in Tesla's favor. It may help to even mention the FCC article: Direct-to-consumer auto sales: It’s not just about Tesla | Federal Trade Commission.

 

[SMAlset]

Maybe Utah is finally close to permitting Tesla to sell cars in that state. Just saw this article in The Salt Lake Tribune:

Legislative committee endorses bill that would clear roadblock for Tesla to sell new cars in Utah

 

[SMAlset]

Just read this morning that both houses in Utah passed the new bill. Only one dissenting vote. Goes to Governor for signing now.

Tesla takes a win for direct sales in Utah, bill to allow operating its own stores goes to the governor

Tesla dealership bill speeds 71-0 through Utah House

Maybe it was the test drive that convinced them ? Not sure from reading the local paper's story if I understand what exactly did the trick this time for the dealers' association to be okay with this version. Was it paying fees like they have to? If so maybe a tactic to use in other State fights.