STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich., Nov. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Mayor Richard J. Notte and City Manager Mark D. Vanderpool are part of a contingent from several Michigan municipalities that will travel to Washington D.C. today to voice support for proposed federal loan assistance for the ailing automotive industry.

According to Mayor Richard Notte: “The group will meet Tuesday on Capitol Hill with administration officials, Presidential transition team members, auto industry leaders, and members of Michigan’s Congressional delegation, including Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Sen. Carl Levin.”

In addition to Sterling Heights, mayors and city administrators from numerous Michigan cities will make the trip. The meetings in Washington D.C. follow last week’s meeting in Sterling Heights, where leaders from four Detroit area cities met to discuss federal aid for the auto industry and the need for a provision in the plan that provides redevelopment assistance for communities that suffer auto plant closings.

“We’re visiting Washington D.C. for two reasons,” said Mark Vanderpool, City Manager. “We want to show our support for federal assistance to the Big Three automakers and knowing the significant impact to our cities we want to further advance the proposal set forth last week by Sterling Heights, Warren, Livonia and Dearborn to provide contingency funding in the event of additional plant closings to help cities redevelop those sites.”

The closing of an automotive plant would result in a massive loss in jobs and property tax revenue in any community that is home to such a facility, jeopardizing city services in municipalities already dealing with huge reductions in state aid and residential property tax revenue due to foreclosures and lowered home prices. In Sterling Heights, for example, the city’s four auto plants generate $32 million in total property tax revenue annually. For more information, contact Community Relations at (586) 446-CITY (2489).