by Kathy Sims
As most of America knows, thousands of independently owned and operated auto dealerships in every state were closed by the new “Auto Czar” and the auto task force appointed by the current executive office. Not one single auto dealer has ever been given a reason.
The state franchise laws of all 50 states, which protect our privately owned businesses, were totally thrown out and disregarded. I guess in America you can work for years to build a good, solid business and pass it from generation to generation and [then] have your government take over ownership and direction of your manufacturer and order your business to close: FOR NO REASON: And with no recourse or compensation.
Thirty-five state attorney generals filed suit, and yes, Idaho’s attorney general was one of these. This is a states’ rights issue as well. Idaho’s laws are meant to protect Idaho’s businesses.
Now if the government forced the closure of your business do you have the means to fight for your rights? Most do not. But as a group the auto dealers have decided to fight.
Recently I joined more than 200 auto dealers in a “Hometown Auto Dealers Fly-in” to our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. I participated in the fly-in for several reasons: first, I’m an auto dealer; second, I’ve been elected to the National Auto Dealers Board of Directors to represent all the women who own auto dealerships west of the Mississippi of all brands and sizes. I’ve talked with many over the past months, some are “go forward” dealers and some are terminated. Not all are GM or Chrysler dealers, but we all have franchise agreements and all believe this is wrong.
We know most manufacturers are watching GM and Chrysler and taking notes. More than 160 of the dealers present in Washington, D.C., were terminated GM and Chrysler dealers; their stories were heartbreaking. I came home emotionally drained.
Personal property was stolen from these people, by their government. Their rights have been violated. The bankruptcy court erred in letting these contracts be voided. GM’s dealer council even wrote their Go Forward dealers and threatened them not to join the fly-in. GM and Chrysler lied under oath about their actions. I heard quite clearly from another dealer, “There except for the grace of God go all of us.”
As dealers we will keep the pressure on. We have House Bill 2743 with 242 co-sponsors. I’m pleased to see Congressman Mike Simpson’s name as one of the sponsors and I stopped by his office in D.C. and personally thanked him. In the Senate we have Senate Bill 1304. I was grateful to Idaho’s Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch for taking the time to listen to my presentation of the issue and they also signed on as co-sponsors.
Idaho’s delegation gets it, understands it and believes it. This should not happen in America.
I heard a very compelling story when I was in D.C. from a Florida auto dealer. He had left Cuba with his family as a young child. He asked his mother, “Why do we have to leave Cuba?” She replied: “Because the government took your father’s business and our home. But we are going to America.” Now a successful auto dealer for more than 30 years, our government closed his business forcing him into bankruptcy and he lost his home: IN AMERICA?
Kathy Sims, of Coeur d’Alene Honda, is an at large board member of the National Automobile Dealers Association.
Book Of Blog
Obama Closed Car Dealers in Violation of their Franchises and State Laws
by Kathy Sims
As most of America knows, thousands of independently owned and operated auto dealerships in every state were closed by the new “Auto Czar” and the auto task force appointed by the current executive office. Not one single auto dealer has ever been given a reason.
The state franchise laws of all 50 states, which protect our privately owned businesses, were totally thrown out and disregarded. I guess in America you can work for years to build a good, solid business and pass it from generation to generation and [then] have your government take over ownership and direction of your manufacturer and order your business to close: FOR NO REASON: And with no recourse or compensation.
Thirty-five state attorney generals filed suit, and yes, Idaho’s attorney general was one of these. This is a states’ rights issue as well. Idaho’s laws are meant to protect Idaho’s businesses.
Now if the government forced the closure of your business do you have the means to fight for your rights? Most do not. But as a group the auto dealers have decided to fight.
Recently I joined more than 200 auto dealers in a “Hometown Auto Dealers Fly-in” to our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. I participated in the fly-in for several reasons: first, I’m an auto dealer; second, I’ve been elected to the National Auto Dealers Board of Directors to represent all the women who own auto dealerships west of the Mississippi of all brands and sizes. I’ve talked with many over the past months, some are “go forward” dealers and some are terminated. Not all are GM or Chrysler dealers, but we all have franchise agreements and all believe this is wrong.
We know most manufacturers are watching GM and Chrysler and taking notes. More than 160 of the dealers present in Washington, D.C., were terminated GM and Chrysler dealers; their stories were heartbreaking. I came home emotionally drained.
Personal property was stolen from these people, by their government. Their rights have been violated. The bankruptcy court erred in letting these contracts be voided. GM’s dealer council even wrote their Go Forward dealers and threatened them not to join the fly-in. GM and Chrysler lied under oath about their actions. I heard quite clearly from another dealer, “There except for the grace of God go all of us.”
As dealers we will keep the pressure on. We have House Bill 2743 with 242 co-sponsors. I’m pleased to see Congressman Mike Simpson’s name as one of the sponsors and I stopped by his office in D.C. and personally thanked him. In the Senate we have Senate Bill 1304. I was grateful to Idaho’s Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch for taking the time to listen to my presentation of the issue and they also signed on as co-sponsors.
Idaho’s delegation gets it, understands it and believes it. This should not happen in America.
I heard a very compelling story when I was in D.C. from a Florida auto dealer. He had left Cuba with his family as a young child. He asked his mother, “Why do we have to leave Cuba?” She replied: “Because the government took your father’s business and our home. But we are going to America.” Now a successful auto dealer for more than 30 years, our government closed his business forcing him into bankruptcy and he lost his home: IN AMERICA?
Kathy Sims, of Coeur d’Alene Honda, is an at large board member of the National Automobile Dealers Association.