There’s Some Local Color For You

The Advance reports that Staten Island tinting technicians will be devastated by politicians clamoring for a crackdown on tinted windows:

The trade in illegally tinted windows — a goldmine for Staten Island’s auto shops — is now in the crosshairs of politicians who are demanding a crackdown and harsher fines for businesses that cater to both style-conscious drivers and those who perhaps have something to hide.

At a press conference in Manhattan, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum and Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Queens) proposed a state-mandated check on window tint during the annual safety inspections that all New York City drivers must have to legally drive their cars.

. . .

According to New York state law, tints must admit at least 70 percent of available light into the vehicle, but some popular tinting shops in the borough, like Little Vick’s Automotive Toy Store in Eltingville, weren’t even aware of the limit.

“I don’t know if it’s 70 percent,” said John LoPorto, a technician at Little Vick’s.

When asked if he was worried about the legality of the shop’s tinting venture, he replied: “There are no receipts, it just works out for us.”

. . .

Christopher St. Peter, a bookkeeper at General Auto Glass in Elm Park, expressed confusion as to the legality of his newly opened tinting operation.

“My brother takes care of tinting, and he only carries sheets for the legal limit. If somebody comes in and asks for more tint, though, we just apply another layer. Is that illegal?”