Tires
My colleague Taft Wireback has been writing about the tires again:
An effort to reform North Carolina's method of buying retreaded tires is moving haltingly through the General Assembly amid disagreement over techniques used by the current contract holder.A bill introduced by state Rep. Nelson Cole of Rockingham County would block the state from paying White's Tire Service of Wilson for controversial "spot repairs" to about $3.4 million a year in recycled tires.
Cole's bill also bans removing the original manufacturer's trademark and other identification from retreaded tires. It's a step White calls critical to its process, but critics say it is unnecessary and voids important warranties.
"Being unable to readily identify tires that might be involved in a recall just doesn’t make sense," said Cole, a retired auto dealer and vice chairman of the House Transportation Committee. "Granted, their tire looks better, but I don't know what that has to do with safety or saving money."
Forgive the cliché, but this issue has been going around and around the General Assembly all session long. It's unclear whether it will be resolved before the honorables make tracks out of town.
