Rep. Chris Lee (R-26) is asking the government to step in and help save dealerships -- or at least the jobs they represent -- that have been slated for closure by Chrysler and General Motors.

In a statement, Lee said " the rapid and potentially disorderly elimination of thousands" of dealerships could put 150,000 people out of work.

Lee is asking the Treasury Administration's Auto Task Force to instead implement a plan that would allow for "market forces " to consolidate dealerships.

According to Lee's statement, "More than 60 members of congress, both Republicans and Democrats from districts all over the country, signed on in support of the letter.
 

Full press release after the jump.

Some area auto dealers feel pretty strongly about the inevitability and justness of a Washington bailout of the nation's auto industry, according to the Daily News. John Pazamickas, sales manager for Orleans Ford-Mercury had this to say to Virginia Kropf:

"We believe the auto industry is the most important single manufacturing industry in the country, and for the government not to take seriously the livelihood of millions who derive income from that industry is shameful."

Shameful! That's emphatic. What do you think? Is Pazamickas in the right? He says that "for every job the auto industry creates, eight other jobs are affected." Is the auto industry so entwined with the fabric of the national economy that a bailout is "inevitable"?

In other news, the family whose apartment burned earlier this month—in the same fire that destroyed the post office in Pavilion—have found a new home. For now at least, they will be renting out a home on St. Mary's Street.

Youth sports are in the news again. This time, the Batavia Town Board got the pitch: a proposal to rent "15 acres of land at Batavia Turf Farms to give area youths and adult sports leagues a place to play." Folks who are interested are already entertaining visios of sports tournaments and a boost to tourism "by attracting teams and spectators from outside the local area."

The Batavia Town Board approved the $5.9 million budget for next year. That means the property tax rate in the town will remain at zero.

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