The wrangling over Ballot Question 1, commonly known as the “right-to-repair” measure, illustrates both everything that’s good and everything that’s alarming about the voter-initiative process in Massachusetts. Supporters of the measure have a legitimate concern about guaranteeing consumers’ access to the information needed to fix their cars. They used the threat of a ballot initiative to force state lawmakers to act on the issue. Having largely prevailed, though, they have no good reason to urge approval now of a ballot question on a matter best left to lawmakers.
Voters should just skip the question. To do so is to endorse the existing legislation, which came too late in the session to take the question off the Nov. 6 ballot.
Comments
Why compromise? Three years is more than enough time to comply. Vote YES on Question 1.
We at the Massachusetts Right to Repair Committee are pleased that the Globe sees the value of a Right to Repair law. The Globe is also correct that we "largely prevailed." One can make a legitimate argument that beyond passenger vehicles, other types of vehicles such as motorcycles, RV's, bigger trucks and larger vehicles used my municipalities should also have the Right to Repair their vehicles where they want or obtain necessary repair codes. That is a good enough reason to vote for Question 1 alone. What's more, in our efforts to educate the public on the law, we found that suggesting that people "skip it" was anathema to most voters, and if anything, made them want to vote for the question more. All parties believe the question will pass. Let voters have their say, and take that into account in any attempt to reconcile the differences between the law and ballot question. Art Kinsman, Massachusetts Right to Repair Committee
Six years to turn over the information is too long. I'm voting yes on 1.
Now the Boston Globe is in the auto repair business. Pitiful