Driving a Toyota complicates coverage of Missouri incentives for Ford

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/blog/2010/07/driving_a_toyota_complicates_coverage_of_missouri_incentives_for_ford.html

Friday, July 16, 2010, 1:25pm CDT | Modified: Friday, July 16, 2010, 3:47pm

On Thursday afternoon, I managed to cover Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon’s signing ceremony for the Missouri Automotive Manufacturing Jobs Act, which includes $100 million in potential incentives for Ford (NYSE: F) — despite a member of the United Auto Workers Local 249 nearly chasing me away.

I drove to the event and parked in the lot at the UAW Local 249’s union hall, which is near Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant. But a union member promptly told me that I was not welcome there. I needed to park somewhere else.

“We don’t allow THAT in our parking lot,” he said, pointing to my Toyota Camry.

This concerned me on several levels, the first being that the Local 249 union hall is right off of Highway 69, basically in the middle of nowhere, so there isn’t exactly a plethora of parking options outside of its lot.

I told this guy I was with the media, there only to cover the bill signing. It didn’t change his mind.

I asked for his name. He didn’t give it.

I asked him if he wanted coverage of the bill signing (which would allow the funneling of Missouri taxpayer money — including mine — to the plant to help retain jobs such as his), because if I can’t park, I have to leave. He said, “I’m willing to help you trade that in for a new Ford today, but you can’t park that car there.”

I mentioned that I’ve written at least a dozen stories about how the Claycomo plant could be in danger of closure as Ford realigns its production operations in the United States and around the globe.

FULL story, photo, and video at link.