Chrysler's Historic Investment in Kokomo Indiana

Hoosiers continued to receive great news from the Chrysler Group this week as the company announced a historic $300 million investment to its Kokomo plants. The investment will fund the installation of equipment and special tooling to modernize Indiana Transmission Plant I and the Kokomo Casting Plant. The project will extend the life of both manufacturing facilities and help retain nearly 1,200 jobs.

The investment is the largest in the U.S. since the new company was formed in June of 2009.

This fantastic news comes on the heels of Chrysler's announcement last month of adding 399 jobs also in Kokomo. And shortly after General Motors announced adding hundreds of jobs to its Southern Indiana plant in Bedford, along with hundreds of jobs in Marion and Fort Wayne.

This growth is the direct result of the Automotive Restructuring Initiative created through the hard work of President Barack Obama, Senator Evan Bayh and the Indiana Democratic Congressional delegation. While there is still work to do, these are encouraging and real signs that we are moving in the right direction.

However, none of this job growth would be realized today if it was left to Governor Mitch Daniels and Treasurer of State Richard Mourdock.

Daniels has been vehemently oppositional and outspoken on the President's Auto Restructuring plan, saying, "honestly, I don't know that throwing more printed money at this situation in any way, shape or form would make any difference."

And at the Governor's urging, Mourdock decided to file a law suit against Chrysler in an attempt to halt the company's bankruptcy filing. He was quoted as saying, "never did I imagine I would be the sole person fighting the Obama Administration against an automobile bailout." Not only was Mourdock's lawsuit unsuccessful (and widely criticized), it cost Hoosier taxpayers $2 million dollars in legal fees.

Once again, the facts show that Mitch Daniels and Richard Mourdock were wrong.

Mitch Daniels has clearly led the state of Indiana in the wrong direction. We are currently facing a drastic budgetary crisis with no answers (or transparency) from the Governor's office to explain the situation. Thousands and thousands of Hoosier teachers are being laid off across the state as a result of budget cuts by the Governor himself. Not to mention the statewide criticism relating to the countless errors and inaccuracies in the state's job creation statistics.

And of course, let's not forget that Indiana is now currently embroiled in a bitter and embarrassing (not to mention expensive) lawsuit with IBM, thanks to Governor Daniels' terrible decision to privatize the Family and Social Services Administration. It's seemingly one problem and one mistake after another.

Enough is enough. Hoosiers just cannot afford any more of Mitch Daniels' ill advised, poorly concocted, bad decisions.

But despite the negative and incorrect assertions from the likes of Mitch Daniels (and Richard Mourdock), the announcement from Chrysler on their historic investment in Kokomo - along with similar job growth announcements from GM plants in Bedford, Marion and Fort Wayne - show we are making progress.

I want to thank President Obama, Senator Evan Bayh and the entire Indiana Democratic Delegation for their leadership, determination and hard work. Because of them, Indiana will once again move in the right direction.

Democratically yours,

Daniel J. Parker

Chair

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/business/State_Treas_halts_Chrysler_bankruptcy_20090603
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1A1-D98O31KO0.html
http://www.theindychannel.com/news/23761288/detail.html