Officials at Burlington’s Good News Garage say they were worried that the Cash for Clunkers program might hurt their business of fixing up donated cars and providing them to needy families.
But Mike Muzzi, Vermont director of the program, says he thinks those fears were unfounded.
Donors to Good News Garage traditionally have been able to take a tax deduction equal in value to their old car. Muzzi says he thought that incentive might lose out to more generous government rebates designed to get people to trade in their old gas guzzlers.
Instead, he says Cash for Clunkers has prompted more people get get into the car market, creating more turnover in vehicles in general. And he says that’s been good for his organization.