Back in July of 2018, I wrote that I had become a board member with the Texas Electric Transportation Resources Alliance. My board seat had a term of two years, but TxETRA renewed my board position in 2020 and 2022.
This year my friend, esteemed colleague and Executive Director of TxETRA, Tom “Smitty” Smith (no relation…that I’m aware of) decided it was time for him to retire and take his wife, Karen, traveling the world. Having retired from auto sales at the end of 2019, I understand the urge to pass the torch and enjoy retirement.
Although I was aware of the decades of work Smitty had done, lobbying to further renewable energy and electric vehicles, the first time I attended a committee meeting in the Capitol, I was amazed at all the members who stopped and said “hi” to him. At the Texas Energy Summit, members pointed him out from the stage.
Have I mentioned Smitty’s a legend in Texas?
TxETRA have done great work to further EV adoption in Texas. We started building the roadmap for charging infrastructure five years ago. In the last 3 legislative sessions, we’ve lobbied for the continuation of the Texas $2,500 plug-in vehicle rebate program, which has passed every session in which TxETRA has lobbied for it.
In the last three sessions, there has been a push to increase the annual registration fees for EVs to as much as $300 (or a $1,400 fee at time of purchase). These fees were proposed as a way to make up for EVs not using gasoline, as the gas taxes are where the revenue is generated for road repairs. We all want safe roads and bridges, but we want it to be equitable. TxETRA provided a study to legislators that showed a typical crew cab pickup in Texas only generates about $89 per year to fund road repair. As it turns out though, the federal government matches that amount for a total of $178 per year. The legislature enacted an annual fee of $200, above the standard fee for vehicle registration to make up the difference. We felt this was unfair for EV drivers who drive less than the average driver, because the gasoline tax is directly relatable to miles driven. In other words, if you drive less, you use less gasoline, so you pay lower taxes. We were told a study would be performed to evaluate the feasibility of using vehicle weight and miles driven to calculate a comparable tax for EV drivers, but this is no longer on the table as the legislature passed a bill to end vehicle inspections (from which each vehicle’s miles driven would be ascertained) in counties that are not under non-attainment of federal air pollution limits. Without the mileage data, there is no way to make the tax equitable, as it is currently defined.
As you can see, EVs have become politicized and we must remain vigilant in the Legislature if we don’t want to see further hurdles for EV adoption.
It would take hubris for anyone, much less myself, to apply for the role of Executive Director, succeeding someone like Smitty.
I was actually on the executive search committee, looking for his successor, when I read the requirements for potential candidates. Many of those requirements I had fulfilled as The EVangelist, both before and after my retirement from my “day job.” However, I had never been in a role where I had direct budgetary control or participated in fundraising for a non-profit. I felt this was disqualifying, but my wife Bonnie pushed me to apply. (She really believes in me and is the reason we started driving electrically.) I reached out to Smitty and Andrew Higgins, TxETRA’s new Chairman of the Board to get their feedback and was, quite honestly, amazed when they expressed support. One of the things that Smitty found most impactful about me is that the first ten years of my career was in oil & gas manufacturing. After one of the “busts” in oil’s boom and bust economy, I moved on to software, computer hardware and EV sales (as a plug-in driver). Smitty believes that Texans are about to make the same transition, from oil & gas to electric transport, as I did.
In August, I resigned from the TxETRA Board in order to be a candidate for Smitty’s role in the organization. I did this with some trepidation, due to Smitty’s reputation in the Texas State Capitol.
On October 13th, yes, Friday the 13th, the board members voted unanimously to appoint me Interim Executive Director of TxETRA, effective upon Smitty’s retirement on January 1st, 2024. Fear not, Texas EV fans! Smitty has told me he’ll be around for guidance and to answer my questions, even after his retirement begins.
To succeed, I need your help.
The more the media politicizes EVs, the more difficult it is to educate and persuade legislators. This year, for the first time ever, TxETRA will charge an annual fee of $25 for EV drivers and enthusiasts to join our organization. TxETRA hire lobbyists, which the loss of Smitty will make even more important, and that costs money. Please consider joining our effort and when you do, please spread the word of the work we’re doing to your friends who drive or are fans of EVs. We need viral marketing. In return, TxETRA will:
- Send a monthly newsletter to keep you apprised of EV developments,
- Keep you informed of bills proposed in the legislature that affect EV ownership/adoption,
- Send “Legislative Alert” emails when something bad is brewing so you can make your objections heard,
- Send lobbyists to the Capitol to work with the legislature on the behalf of EV drivers,
- Continue to learn more about successful EV adoption efforts around the U.S. and apply those lessons to Texas,
- Work with industry to develop much needed rules/regulation to assure a vibrant EV economy in Texas, and most importantly
- Enlist our members to actively participate in our field work, working auto shows, expositions, conferences and ride & drive events to help those considering an EV purchase to learn about them and make the leap we all have.
In the last session, our efforts saved EV drivers at least $100 in registration fees and $1,400 in purchase fees. All we ask of you is $25 a year and your voice, to back us up, in Austin.
Please help us help you, by joining TxETRA today.
