Last month we told you Warren. Michigan Mayor Jim Fouts had the answer to Detroit's problems in the form of tax deductions for interest on auto loans. Now, in a video interview with the Detroit Free Press' Ron Dzwonkowski, we hear the next phase of his plan to save the American auto industry: ordering city employees to buy American cars. But its not flag-waving patriotism or national pride that drives him to do so. Nope, as with most politicians, it's all about the money. He explains that GM and Chrysler are the largest employers in Warren and "without the success of General Motors and Chrysler, the city of Warren would not be able to pay my political appointees the good salaries that they make." Well, at least he's honest about his motivation.
Find Reviews by Make:
Read all comments
Forget about the political hacks at City Hall for a moment. Without the tax revenue from those GM and Chrysler facilities, Warren won’t be able to maintain school funding or city services at anywhere near current levels. That’s a reality that affects every citizen living in Warren.
Please Mr Fouts come to Canada.How rare an elected oficial thats honest and has some balls.
I think if I was one of his political appointees,
I’d be trading in my non GM/Chrysler real quick.
I guess that if you can be appointed it stands to reason that you can be unappointed.
y2kdcar
Without the tax revenue from those GM and Chrysler facilities, Warren won’t be able to maintain school funding or city services at anywhere near current levels. That’s a reality that affects every citizen living in Warren.
True, but I found it interesting he didn’t say anything about that or any other use of the taxes that supports the public welfare like law enforcement, public health, parks and recreation, etc. At least the voters know where his priorities lie.
Hmmm sorry Mikey but as a former union steward I believe the city has no right to enforce employee activities outside of work off the clock.
As an example they can do things like not allow employees to surf the internet and view porn on company time but they can’t enforce rules at the employees home off hours.
Whats next city employees must vote for the incumbent mayor as a condition of employment?
This is not legal. It might be ok for his top politically appointed officials but not for the rank and file city workers
I live in Warren. Now I know why he started a city-wide “Buy American” campaign.
But Mr. Mayor. Clearly the American products are inferior if the Europeans, Koreans and Japanese are buying their own cars and we must import 40%. The domestic automakers fail to embrace such features as fully independent suspension, light weight vehicle construction and powerful/economic 4 cylinder cars.
dugiv :
But Mr. Mayor. Clearly the American products are inferior if the Europeans, Koreans and Japanese are buying their own cars and we must import 40%. …
If the U.S. market were as open as Japan’s or South Korea’s, the Asian brands that command a large chunk of the market would be niche players at best, selling fewer than 100,000 units collectively.
So let me get this straight – if I buy foreign a bunch of know-nothing do-nothing parasitical bureaucrats get the shaft?
Someone point me toward the nearest furriner dealership, STAT!
It has always been about the money. Buy American means=pay my exorbitant salary. Cronies, union people, politicians and executives.
Half the reason I do not purchase American autos is because I am supporting unions, executives, politicians, etc. who are way, way overpaid. They are smart though, Americans buy American autos with their hard earned money and most live like regular folks-income wise, while those who make these cars live like the Lords of America. My wife and I both are executive directors and our salaries pale to just one ‘union’ salary. There are those who will say the purchase of an auto speaks loudly about the intelligence of the purchaser. I’ll be hanged if I’ll be in the Detroit 3 crowd.
What bad PR for US automakers, the message here is people have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the GM dealership and made to buy their shit under duress.
So much for the American way that made the country rich… Now every wanker wants a bailout, subsidy or softloan. Can’t believe the government wants to flush more cash down the toilet to bail these guys out.
Ummm Dr D did you know that the Toyota Corolla and Tacoma are made by UAW workers and that the non union workers in KY making the Camry actually make more than UAW workers.
I live in Warren and resent a guy driving an old Chrysler telling me what to do. Buy a new car yourself first, then pontificate.
Why not ask Ol’ Jackpot Jimbo why he’ll get an $84,000 per year pension after only one term as mayor? If he really cared about the citizens, he’d find a way to say no.
Plus, why doesn’t he EVER smile?
Better idea — lay off most of the municipal work force and cancel their overly generous pensions. Then let those govt. toadies learn what it’s like to work for a living.
Strangely, I have no problem with this guy at all. Of course, I don’t live in Warren. But I suspect that the majority of Warrenites(?) have no problem with this either. Michigan has been governed with this sort of idea forever.
What I don’t get are people who say they live there that don’t like this stuff. Do you guys vote? Are you always outvoted? Can you not leave?
I know it’s tough to move, but I have done it. In many ways I preferred Denver to Houston, but the business climate is better, and the political thing is getting worse but still better. If you work hard here, you can get ahead more quickly than most places. At least to the middle. (Climbing to the top often means taking a promotion out of town, even for the oil folks).
What do you mean “buy American”? What is truly American anymore? Don’t American companies outsource to Mexico and other countries for production and parts? And likewise, don’t Japanese companies build right here in the good ol’ US of A?
A true American supports healthy competition and doesn’t reward mediocrity with bailouts. Sometimes that means abandoning inferior “American” vehicles for a more reliable car.
-Leothelionator
Spot on…
The only way to understand and kind of agree with this philosophy is by keeping in mind that ‘desperate times call for desperate measures’. I don’t know much about American rust belt but I do believe these are desperate times. The loss of any of Detroit 3 will have devastating effects on millions of people. I personally believe it will devastating effect on the whole but obviously I am a small minority here.
I am continuously surprised to see Americans posting on this blog basically giving their countrymen finger because they think it’s not their problem. I am amazed how good ol’ US of A can even exist as a country with attitudes like these.
leothelionator
What do you mean “buy American”? What is truly American anymore? Don’t American companies outsource to Mexico and other countries for production and parts?
Yes. There’s a Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealer here that’s running an ad where they proclaim “Be American… Buy American!” And then they advertise their clearance sale prices for a Mexican-built PT Cruiser and a Canadian-built Town & Country.
@ ra_pro: I think every American would like to see Ford, GM and Chrysler succeed but we are looking at bailing them out with taxpayer funds because they have been badly managed. When they were making massive profits from SUVs and trucks they failed to invest and ceded basically the entire car market to the Japanese. They outsourced production to Mexico and elsewhere while the Japanese were building plants in North America.
Handouts for GM won’t improve the management just line their pockets.
No big deal, I can see his request as a valid concept. If you live in Warren you ought to support the companies in Warren that employ most of the city, pays the utilities and taxes of most people and keeps the streets paved, the laundromats and starbucks working.
If they were to leave, more than those at the plant loose their livelyhoods.
I doubt he can force them to do so unless it’s a condition of employment, when you enter employment and accept a job you accept the conditions the employer sets.
As to Japanese vehicles being better, well my wifes lowley Ford Edge is every bit as well put together as the Lexus RX350 we test drove and it’s way better than her RX300 it replaces. In fact the Edge has more room, more power and as good mileage for $15K less. There are some very well put together US models, that get great mileage and don’t cost an arm and a leg.
Before you strike out, Lexus, Acura, Honda, Toyota and Nissan’s – owned one or more of them as well at one time….
Lets include the Break My Wallet BMW Gang – the one company with great looking expensive cars that most aftermarket warranty companies won’t write, wonder why… if they are so well manufactured.
Yep owned a Beemer as well…
Japanese bias is simply that, bias.
JMO maybe we should let them both go bankrupt, clear the debt, dump the huge benefits for retiree expenses and get back to a clean profitable company that can outdesign and outperform the competition.