Retiree offers $1,000 to woo GM workers
By STEPHEN ORAVECZ / Tribune ChronicleFact Box
His challenge
Warren resident and GM retiree John Hanick has donated $1,000 to Warren as build on the incentive program to entice new General Motors employees to move into the city. He has challenged other retirees to contribute as well. Anyone who wants to accept Hanick's challenge can contact the mayor's office at 330-841-2601 or the auditor's office at 330-841-2586.
WARREN - John Hanick has a sweet deal for the first four General Motors Corp. workers who take advantage of an incentive plan to buy a home in Warren:
The 77-year-old GM retiree is donating $1,000 of his own money to the city, which already is offering $1,000 to new third-shift workers. With Hanick's contribution, the bonus will grow to $1,250 for the first four who qualify.
Hanick also is challenging other GM retires to donate $250 - or more -to help additional families move into Warren.
''As many as want to help out,'' he said.
Hanick, a Korean War veteran, was one of the first employees at the plant, starting before the first Chevrolet Impala moved off the assembly line in 1967. His brother, James Hanick of Niles, did the first body drop on that Impala.
After he read about the $1,000 incentives the city offered, Hanick decided he would leave his mark on Warren by adding his money to the program.
''Pretty soon I'm going to lose my place in line. I'm 77 years old,'' he said. His wife, Helen, passed on April 1. ''If I can, I want to get someone else in line to help out the area.
''I haven't paid city taxes for about 20 years,'' he said. ''Since 2007, I haven't paid property taxes.''
But helping to get new working families into Warren, which is facing a $1 million deficit, will help build the tax base.
Mayor Michael J. O'Brien said Hanick's donation ''is a wonderful example of a person who spent his life working at GM who would not like to give back to his community by helping future GM employees.''
Anyone who wants to accept Hanick's challenge can contact O'Brien's office at 330-841-2601 or Auditor David Griffing's office at 330-841-2586.
Through affiliated organizations, The Cafaro Co. is donating $500 to GM workers who come from outside Trumbull County and buy a house here, and workers who locate in Warren, Niles or Lordstown will get an additional $500 income tax break from the respective city. Employees can apply through their union hall.
Lordstown passed its incentive plan unanimously Wednesday for anyone who works in Lordstown and relocates there from outside Trumbull and Mahoning County after June 1 through the end of 2010. Mayor Michael Chaffee said the plan anticipates the growth of any new sub-suppliers that could pop up along with the new GM jobs.
"We're hoping that it sparks something," he said. "And this way we're not cherrypicking people from a neighboring community."
Hanick would up working at GM for 22 years and eight months, mostly in the final process area.
''GM has been really good to me, Helen and my family. I saved up money and enjoyed my retirement. Seven family members worked there at one time or another,'' Hanick said.
His son, Jim, retired in January after 30 years.
Reporter Bill Rodgers contributed to this report.
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TheCortlandguy
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07-20-08 2:18 PM
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Steph. Your grandpa is a great guy... The point everyone is making and rightfully so is this. You can put a 1,000.00 coat on a bag of cow pooh and it will still smell like cow pooh. The whole premise is that when we have to pay people to move in...I mean REALLY are you kidding me? Try going to a town that the local political hacks haven't ruined...like..Charlotte ask them for the 1,000.00 to move there. What a laugh that will bring.
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STEPHANIE25
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07-19-08 7:41 PM
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THIS IS MY GRANDPA WHO IS A WONDERFUL MAN . WHO WAS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING NICE FOR HIS HOMETOWN AND FOR OTHERS. THIS IS THE REASON WHY WARREN IS THE WAY IT IS BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE THE ONES WHO POSTED THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ABOVE. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE MY GRANDPA IN THE CITY OF WARREN. AS FOR THE COMMENT THAT HE SHOULD HAVE GIVEN THE $1,000 TO THE FOOD BANK INSTEAD OF THE PEOPLE GOING TO GM. HE HAS DONATED TO SEVERAL OTHER CHARITY'S FOR MANY YEARS NOW. IF GM WOULD SHUT DONE YOUR COMMUNITY WOULD ALSO BE AFFECT NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE SO YOU SHOULD BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT MY GRANDPA HAS DONE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY ALSO.MY GRANDPA HAS RECEIVED SEVARAL LETTERS OF THANKS FROM PEOPLE THAT HE HAS TOUCHED. SO MAYBE YOU SHOULD LEARN A LESSON FROM HIM AND DO SOMETHING NICE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.
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Dschweck
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07-19-08 7:51 AM
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Prostitution!
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Dschweck
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07-18-08 2:58 PM
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Sounds like protitution?
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TheCortlandguy
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07-17-08 5:00 PM
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I spoke with one today and he mentioned that it is illegal. It has been tried before in Warren and Obrien was around for it so he should remember how much it cost the city...
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gpandas
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07-17-08 4:04 PM
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right cortland guy. i think it i an illegal use of our tax money. any lawyers out there?
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TheCortlandguy
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07-17-08 3:23 PM
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So a grand to move in, 600 for the new Glock that you WILL need... 400 bucks after it is all over. So I guess there is some money left for a Kevlar vest. Why is no one asking where the grand from the CITY is coming from? I can't imagine it is lawful to donate your tax dollars to new home buyers. The China idea isn't too bad...but sorry pal I am a burger man. How about we press our politicians (i.e. the ever-missing Tim Ryan) to bring these companies home or tax their product so much it hurts..?
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johhny
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07-17-08 12:51 PM
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the new hires are only making $14.00hr. what about the other companys that pay more. for some reason people want to treat GM workers like they are special. the end of the $30.00hr era is dead. if i worked at GM i would not move to a ghetto.
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Hamphog
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07-17-08 12:16 PM
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Mr Hanick, your heart is truly in the right place but I'm afraid to say it is a futile effort. A lot of work needs to be done in Warren and its problems resolved, not going to happen overnight I know, but until those things are at least addressed and some kind of action taken in trying to resolve those things, Warren will not be anyones first pick of buying a home here and raising a family! Ercheezz, it is very sad and very questionable in my mind that it is indeed who you know that will get you a job out there, and not what you know.....whatever happened to equal opportunity????? I hope my spelling is Ok!!!!!!!!
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Dschweck
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07-17-08 10:58 AM
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Mark33;I do not need spell check.If my grammer is off and I spell a word incorrectly,Big Freaking Deal!Point of matter;I am not out to impress anyone with my 'Perfect grammer'.If you and the rest ofthe 'Wise Ones' were so wise,how and why would you have a need for spell check?I was not trying to insult anyone in this area.That has already been done.Look around,jerkoff.
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Mark33
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07-17-08 10:46 AM
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It's embarrassment, Einstein. If you're going to try to insult, at least learn to use spell check.
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ercheezz
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07-17-08 9:35 AM
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I think it's great that they are trying to get new people in the area and all, but what about people here that are looking for a good Job. My mother worked at Delpi for over thirty years and retired under GM but I still can't get a response from my resume to GM. It's not what you know with these people, it's who you know and that ashame.
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Dschweck
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07-17-08 9:30 AM
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WillardFillby;When you get off your knees and come up for rinse and some air,why don't you loop a rope around your neck and move to heaven?
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pahootaman
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07-17-08 9:25 AM
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It's noble, but ultimately a futile gesture.
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WillardFilby
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07-17-08 8:53 AM
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Why don't all you dipsh#ts posting in this thread move to China?
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Judyann
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07-17-08 7:34 AM
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That is wrong, why does GM have to woo people from elsewhere to work at GM? Doesn't Warren and surrounding areas have the manpower to fill these positions? And further more, if O'Brien is keeping the money you had better re-count it. Why doesn't Mr. Hanick donate $1000 to the Food Bank?
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Dschweck
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07-17-08 7:32 AM
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What an imbarassment this must be for O'brien and his gang!What kind of community ***** so bad that they need to Bribe folks(all local whos your daddy types or transplants)to reside in the septic tank of Tru-Bull county..Maybe Mr Mayor 'big bucks' can throw in a couple thousand of his families money to pot.This is as LOW as it can go.
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goodsport
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07-17-08 7:31 AM
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For what. What is moving to Warren going to do. What a joke.
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OldManGrump2
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07-17-08 6:52 AM
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What a fool he is to give his money away like that !!!
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DRC573
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07-17-08 5:34 AM
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Outstanding! Mr. Hanick is an excellent example of the spirit of Warren.
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