Successful Chevy Dealer in Butler County Gets the Ax

Topics:  Rose Chevrolet

Congressman John Boehner
June 9, 2009

I was surprised to learn recently that Rose Chevrolet in Butler County was among the dealerships on the GM chopping block. Rose Chevrolet is the number one Chevy dealer in the county. This is the kind of company that we need to keep in our region, not close down and further imperil our local tax base. As I wrote in a letter for an appeal packet Rose Chevrolet turned into GM over the weekend, the dealership provided sales tax revenue to the state and Butler County of over $1.1 million on the purchase of new and used vehicles and $110,000 in sales tax revenues from parts and services. With an annual payroll of more than $1.7 million in 2008, Rose Chevrolet provided income tax revenues to Ohio in excess of $52,000 and to Butler County approximately $36,000. It's also donated more than $20,000 to local charities in the last three years.

Ed Larkin, general manager of Rose Chevrolet, appeared this morning on FOX News to discuss GM's intentions to close the dealerships. Ed, by the way, was named the 2009 Small Businessperson of the Year by the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Hamilton Small Business Council.

The Obama Administration needs to explain why it's moving ahead with a plan that calls for closing down one of the most successful dealerships in Butler County. The impact of this move will be felt throughout our community, and it's an economic hit we just can't afford.