Heinrich Calls for Transparency and Fairness from President's Auto Task Force

Press Release

U.S. Representative Martin Heinrich (NM-01) sent a letter to President Barack Obama yesterday highlighting the concerns of local auto dealers in light of Chrysler's announcement to shut down 789 dealerships nationwide as part of its reorganization in bankruptcy court, and the announcement by General Motors to shut down thousands of its dealers nationwide. The letter was a result of a local auto dealers roundtable hosted by Rep. Heinrich in Albuquerque on Tuesday, May 26.

The uniform concerns expressed by the stakeholders at the meeting were a lack of understanding of how closing independent dealerships would save money for the auto manufacturers and how dealerships would be selected for closure. The letter calls on the White House Task Force on the Automotive Industry to insist on truth and fair dealing from Chrysler and General Motors.

"The independent dealers I spoke with yesterday have a long history of supplying high-quality service and support to their customers, contributing considerable tax revenue to our state, and providing good jobs for working families in my District. I am concerned that closing these dealerships will not have the outcome that Chrysler and General Motors hope for but rather create additional financial insecurity in our local economy," the letter states.

Four car dealerships in New Mexico are on the list of dealers Chrysler has targeted to no longer sell their cars. Quality Jeep Chrysler Inc., located in the First Congressional District, is on the list of closures. Among the stakeholders who met with Rep. Heinrich on May 26 were: Annette Delorenzo Thayer, Principal, Quality Jeep Chrysler; Lawton Davis, Principal, Galles & Davis Motor Company; Mark Wiggins, President, Mark's Casa Automotive Group; Ed Corley Sr., President, Corley GM Grants; Kaul Corley, General Manager, Corley Dodge Gallup; and Charles Hensen, President, New Mexico Auto Dealers Association.

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