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Filed under: Coupe, Government/Legal, Chevrolet, GM


The hot-selling 2010 Chevy Camaro is made in Oshawa, Canada. The mayor of Oshawa, John Gray, drives a spanking new red Camaro SS with a white racing stripe, just like the one that introduced the bowtie muscle car to the Middle East back in June. Supporting locally made products sounds like a shrewd move for any politician, especially when the city is footing the bill for your ride. A free Camaro is a great job perk, but one Oshawa resident - Bill Steele - doesn't agree.

Steele says the mayor is "flaunting this gas-guzzling vehicle all around town... and I don't like that I'm paying for part of a sports car that gets 17 miles to the gallon." Steele serves up the city's high tax rates as a reason why the mayor shouldn't be driving a Camaro. Of course, without over 400 Camaros being built in Oshawa per day, there would likely be thousands fewer tax payers to help pay those already high taxes. Mayor Gray knows there are a few citizens who don't like his pricey, thirsty pony car, but that thankfully isn't stopping him from driving it. Thanks for the tip, Alan!


Gallery: 2010 Chevy Camaro launches in the Middle East



[Source: MSN Autos]Proud Oshawa mayor and his Camaro SS ruffle some feathers originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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Zigroid

what a dumbass. let people drive whatever they want why should it even matter to him.

DAKMOR

if i knew more id comment better, but form what this post has in it, the guy sounds almost right. the car does get horrible mileage. always will, its a performance model. i dont think the mayor should get one for free, make him pay for it. and if the mayor wasnt so "allowing" of GM to build it there, maybe it'd finally come home after wasting time being put together up there.

add in stuipd quip about the st therese plant and camaro not being american later.

King Moose SS

17mpg.... lets not be ridiculous. thats the worst you can get. I can counter argue so easily it gets 25mpg.

State the average rating not the lowest, thats a cheap shot.

97z28/m6

you know my taxes pay his salary. either way it costs the same. personally i could careless.

monstertodd

Maybe if this guy test drove an SS, he might change his mind about it.

2010_5thgen

let the guy drive whatever he wants! why would people get mad that he has a job and does his job well, and wants to have a little fun. hes human just like everyone else. car looks great.

426HPSS

his car is Orange according to Toronto Star...anyways...who cares?? the city pays him to be the mayor and run a good city. they supply a car as part of the package. the biggest employer in town is builging the new world class Camaro...what do people in Oshawa expect him to drive? a Hyundai.....???
Gimme a break. Right on Mr Mayor!!!. You did the RIGHT thing. Enjoy your Camaro as I enjoy mine.

zq8colorado04

15.2 over here...granted that's almost entirely city driving but it's a LOT lower than I was expecting

2010_5thgen

stay out of that throttle. buy an intake. it will help you getit up there a little more.

97z28/m6

if he bought something else that same DB would be complaining anyway.

azfan

So they found one jerk and wrote an article.

Z28CamaroPower!

If I were a bettin' man, I'd say that Bill Steele doesn't know anything about cars or the auto industry and drives a Toyota.

3rdGenNut

He should be riding the bus. Public office, public servant, public transportation.
Entitlement makes me sick.

boomer78

Actually this news hit the tv news last week sometime.

Lots of people are actually complaining about it, mainly because he didn't pay for it as it comes from his 'car allowance' as part of being mayor (which is funded by taxes)

Mind you other mayors have the same deal going on (brampton and oakville with Chrysler and Ford respectively) where they drive vehicles assembled in their cities.

I'm sure the same people would complain if the guy from Brampton drove a challenger or any other SRT8 from that plant.


They probably wouldn't be complaining if he used his own money to buy the vehicle and support the city,
but as he is, he's driving it at the tax payers expense. Wonder if he pays for the gas that fills it (in itself could also be a valid complaint)