[mimpdaddy]

I dont want to start a big debate about this, but if alabama is chosen I dont think huntsville should be the assembly site.Huntsville already have numberous oppurtunities for people. I think it should be built at a site closer to the blackbelt counties.

[Huntsville_secede]

Originally Posted by mimpdaddy

I dont want to start a big debate about this, but if alabama is chosen I dont think huntsville should be the assembly site.Huntsville already have numberous oppurtunities for people. I think it should be built at a site closer to the blackbelt counties.

Yeah opportunities that are mostly for people with degrees in engineering and the spin off jobs that occur from a lot of people relocating here. The opportunities are less for people without an engineering degree. Huntsville area and Limestone/North Alabama has had plant closings including thousands at the Delphi plant in Limestone county. Yeah maybe there are areas in the state that need the jobs more but I don't think you should punish a place just because its attracting so many employers and has a good job. If thats the case lets just move all the auto plants back to the Midwest/rustbelt where people really need manufacturing jobs.

[Brent85]

You guys can have it, I hope it doesn't get built here. The auto industry has ravaged this state. We need jobs in different industries. Layoffs, strikes, decayed 100 year old factories, wage disputes, people here are tired of it. If I was offered a job in a auto plant, I wouldn't even want it, because the second the company has a bad year, your gone. Execs get a bonus, you get pay cut in half. Look at cities like Flint, Detroit, Saginaw. I love Detroit and sure there's a lot of history in the old model T plant, but they can at least make it a museum, instead of letting it decay.

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by Brent85

You guys can have it, I hope it doesn't get built here. The auto industry has ravaged this state. We need jobs in different industries. Layoffs, strikes, decayed 100 year old factories, wage disputes, people here are tired of it. If I was offered a job in a auto plant, I wouldn't even want it, because the second the company has a bad year, your gone. Execs get a bonus, you get pay cut in half. Look at cities like Flint, Detroit, Saginaw. I love Detroit and sure there's a lot of history in the old model T plant, but they can at least make it a museum, instead of letting it decay.

Well, at the risk of offending, we have a much more broad-based economy than Michigan at this point. Yeah, automotive is important, but so is finance, steel, agriculture, other manufacturing, healthcare, aerospace/defense, etc. etc. etc. What's more, the automotive guys moving here stress that Michigan's government is so antibusiness at this point that plenty of aftermarket manufacturers are clawing their way to the state line. Plus that governor of yours isn't helping matters any.

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by mimpdaddy

I dont want to start a big debate about this, but if alabama is chosen I dont think huntsville should be the assembly site.Huntsville already have numberous oppurtunities for people. I think it should be built at a site closer to the blackbelt counties.

Well, here's the thing about that. Any auto plant in Alabama is a boon to everybody, not just the immediate area. After all, there are increased tax revenues filling state coffers. What's more, you forget that, with every new automotive plant in the state (That would make 4, with Kia right across the state line in West Point, Georgia), there are a bunch of satellite plants that supply those plants as well, located throughout the state. Right now, the entire state is about to hit critical mass in terms of the auto industry and everyone will benefit.

However, if you want the Black Belt to be more desirable to new industry, you need to take the first step and start electing public officials who are more interested in the common good as opposed to lining their own pockets. Right now, both black and white politicians in the Black Belt are just awful, and the economic status of these counties are living proof.

[mimpdaddy]

Originally Posted by Huntsville_secede

Yeah opportunities that are mostly for people with degrees in engineering and the spin off jobs that occur from a lot of people relocating here. The opportunities are less for people without an engineering degree. Huntsville area and Limestone/North Alabama has had plant closings including thousands at the Delphi plant in Limestone county. Yeah maybe there are areas in the state that need the jobs more but I don't think you should punish a place just because its attracting so many employers and has a good job. If thats the case lets just move all the auto plants back to the Midwest/rustbelt where people really need manufacturing jobs.

I understand where you are coming from, but i am from the black belt. Its has the richest history of Alabama and its the number stop for politicians.But they only make false promises on T.V. and show that they walked across the Edmond Pettus bridge recently john mccain.I currently live in Huntsville but I would love to move back home and get a good job.Mobile is the closest out of all the potential sites.In my opinion if its down there you would really be helping Alabama because Huntsville is full of people not from Alabama.

[JLA]

Local news is reporting the following:
German Auto Supplier to Locate in Auburn | WRBL - News 3, Columbus GA and Opelika-Auburn AL

Looks as if Auburn is the front runner so far. The Columbus-Auburn-Troup triangle is doing very well with job recruitment. We are looking foward to more jobs in the area.

[Huntsville_secede]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

Well, at the risk of offending, we have a much more broad-based economy than Michigan at this point. Yeah, automotive is important, but so is finance, steel, agriculture, other manufacturing, healthcare, aerospace/defense, etc. etc. etc. What's more, the automotive guys moving here stress that Michigan's government is so antibusiness at this point that plenty of aftermarket manufacturers are clawing their way to the state line. Plus that governor of yours isn't helping matters any.

Well according to the article its the incentive packages, the lower operating costs and minimal union activity in Alabama that have led to so many auto jobs coming here, i don't necessarily think its just because Michigan's government is so anti-climatic because Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania have seen the same problems as Michigan they just don't have such a high concentration of auto plants. The fact of the matter is it basically comes down to they can pay lower wages here than they would have had to in Michigan and more profit for them. With the unions in Michigan demanding more and more pay for unskilled jobs that just require training it got to the point where there salaries became very high and they could no longer compete with foreign companies, add that to the fact that the US plants were built to run very inefficiently and they had no choice but to run away from Michigan.

[Huntsville_secede]

Originally Posted by mimpdaddy

I understand where you are coming from, but i am from the black belt. Its has the richest history of Alabama and its the number stop for politicians.But they only make false promises on T.V. and show that they walked across the Edmond Pettus bridge recently john mccain.I currently live in Huntsville but I would love to move back home and get a good job.Mobile is the closest out of all the potential sites.In my opinion if its down there you would really be helping Alabama because Huntsville is full of people not from Alabama.

Oh I forgot people in Alabama don't generally like outsiders. That must be why Huntsville gets shortchanged on road money even though it has created tens of thousands of jobs for the state, generated billions of dollars, and had the #2 economy in the state. There is nothing wrong with diversity, its a good thing, I value Huntsville for that more so than places in the state with the exact same kind of people who lived in the same place their whole life. Not everyone that lives in Huntsville is from outside Alabama, and most of North Alabama besides the Huntsville area is mostly full of Alabama natives. Besides the people who live here that aren't originally from Alabama pay taxes and provide benefit to this state and economy (especially the outsiders in Huntsville who have helped make it and Alabama known all over the world for engineering and technology) the same as everybody else so they shouldn't be treated any differently. I hate this whole punish outsider mentality and like the guy said above regardless of where it is put its going to benefit the whole state anyway, so I would be happy for whoever got the plant. I just personally think it would help North Alabama and help diversify Huntsville's economy some and provide jobs to the people who don't have an engineering degree here.

History has nothing to do with economic climate and right now the black belt doesn't have the infrastructure, nor the schools to attract business or industry. I hope things do improve for the better down there eventually I personally have no desire to live there because I'm not from there but it would help the state improve its image as a whole. You make a good point about the numerous opportunities, I'm sure that will be a factor in Volkswagen's decision. It's going to have to be in an area or close to an area that needs a lot of jobs otherwise they will have a hard time finding enough people and/or the wages will have to be increased.

[Bama`s Port]

In my opinoin I believe that this plant should be built in the black belt( especialy this region) or the coastal areas of the state. Why should the black belt region suffer because of there politicians thsoe people are extremely poor and have no say so or power. Hunstville has a vibrant economy no need to be greedy. Don`t get me wrong i`m from Mobile and it mentioned Mobile and I want that plant in my area , but lets get serious the black belt realy need this. I noticed that some one from the Huntsville area mentioned about Huntsvillians that don`t have engineering degrees need jobs to. Which is true but , Huntsville has more opputunity than the black belt . Mobile has Austal average starting off salary 45 k a year employes 1200, will be expanding and will employe another 1 k no degree needed. Jobs at the port and docks 45 and 50 k jobs Port is undergoing a huge expansion will be hiring thousands of people to the 2 thousand are more they have now. There are other ship building and repair companies in Mobile that have won billion dollar contracts with the Navy in Mobile that are paying in 40 and 50 k range with no degree needed.Northrup Grunman has a palnt that build ships for the Navy in Pasagoula ,Miss (25 min away) employes over 2 thousand workers from Mobile ( 55 K + salary range). A steel piping plant which is being built in a Black community in Mobile will be hiring up to 300 workers with a starting slary of 40 k no degree needed my point is the bigger the city the more opputunity .H-ville Vs. any Black belt city has more oppurtunity.


I believe that the plant should be narrowed down to the black belt( becasue they realy need it) and the coastal areas( becasue i`m from the Gulf coast). This is just an opinion and opinions are nether right nor wrong !