How was your 2008?

The economy may have spiraled downward this year, but that doesn't mean every business had to suffer. Was 2008 a better year for you than 2007? What factors impacted your business the most?

Don't mean to sound like a Polyanna but with the exception of December I have done better as an Audi and VW tech in 2008 than last year.

Sales held up most of the year, and people have been fixing more vehicles that may have been retired had fuel not been so expensive.

California Gov Swartzenegger needs to do at least two things, don't place a tax surcharge on auto repair, and increase the tax on fuel while the price declines.

I hate to see the very regressive sales taxes increased.  I think the only fair way to get out of deflicit spending would be an across the board  one percent rise in state income tax, that would be phased out when the State is solvent. Of course, that has the ring of " Never".

The Governor's recent comment about not wanting to hurt auto sales shows some sensitivity to the problem. He was talking about the registration fee increase. As a PBS commentator pointed out, the sales tax increase would also hurt new car sales.