Sunnyvale Chevrolet closed its doors Wednesday as part of General Motor's downsizing efforts, making it just one of the 1,100 dealerships set to close nationwide by November 2010. By Thursday morning, all that was left was an empty lot where new cars previously awaited buyers.
Sunnyvale's
Communications Officer John Pilger told the San Jose Mercury News: "Sunnyvale Chevrolet's closure
will contribute to a lower income for the city. Sunnyvale's auto row remains a
very important part of the economic and business future of the city."
Now,
city officials are doing what they can to fill lost sales tax revenue.
The
Sunnyvale closure marks the estimated sixth closure in California by General
Motors, according to a GM closure list updated at the Huffington Post, and based upon press reports – officially, GM has
yet to announce which dealers will be closed. The closed California GM
dealerships include: Mazzei's GMC (Pittsburg),
Courtesy Chevrolet (Morgan Hill), Firebaugh Chevrolet (Firebaugh), Hatfield
Buick-GMC Truck (Redlands), Tri Buick Pontiac GMC (Hemet). The only GM
dealership that has been guaranteed to not close was Harris Pontiac GMC
(Whittier).
According
to estimates by the Huffington Post,
Tennessee and North Carolina were the only states that have not announced GM
closures, thus far. Florida reported eight closures, and Texas and New York
each had seven closures. (Source: San
Jose Mercury News, October 1. The
Huffington Post,
first posted June 11.)
Cal-Taxletter, October 2, 2009
© 2009 California Taxpayers'
Association.
All Rights Reserved.