After calling a meeting at its Avon Lake plant with local management, the UAW, Congresswoman Betty Sutton and three mayors, Ford confirmed what the group hoped to hear: starting the first of the year the automaker will increase the number of Econoline vans that roll off the assembly lines there.
That's especially good news for Avon Lake Mayor K-C Zuber. He says even a small boost in collected income taxes will help his city maintain services that it had been struggling to operate.
MAYOR K.C. ZUBER:
"We've seen a big drop off in collections from Ford over the past few years. It's almost been cut in half, but with the increased line speed, hopefully we'll get back to some of the pre recession levels of income tax receipts."
About 85% of the income tax raised through Ford employees stays in Avon Lake, but the mayors of Sheffield and Avon were included in the meeting, and their cities will also benefit from the higher production levels.
Ford did not put a firm time for how long the Econoline production will stay at this pace - but Zuber said it could be for 'a few years.
