Opening a car dealership amid the auto industry crisis might not be the most auspicious start for a business, but that’s not how Greg Bozzani sees it.

Earlier this month, Bozzani opened Covina Valley Kia on Covina’s auto row on Citrus Avenue on the same lot where he once sold Volvos, before Ford Motor Co. bought out his Swedish car dealership in December amid a consolidation.

“It wasn’t easy but I think this is a time of opportunity,” said Bozzani, who has 70 of the Korean cars on his lot ready for sale. “Kia is poised to grab some of the market share other dealers are losing.”

Kia Motors, which largely sells inexpensive vehicles and is a unit of South Korea’s Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, has seen its market share of U.S. sales grow one percentage point to 3.1 percent in just the first five months of 2009.

With the Kia dealership, Bozzani once again has two car lots in the San Gabriel Valley city. He also owns Bozzani Volkswagen on Citrus Avenue.

Bozzani landed the dealership after deciding that the company was one of the few stable automakers around and then successfully interesting it in coming to Covina. The closest Kia dealership is in the far east San Gabriel Valley city of Pomona.

Kia’s U.S. sales are down 16 percent from last year, but Bozzani said he feels the company is listening to their customers and focusing on production of sedans over SUVs.

“That’s what I’m banking on: a good product and the best customer service possible because that’s what sets your dealership apart from the same product we all get,” said Bozzani, whose goal is to sell 40 to 50 cars a month.

Robert Neiuber, Covina director of community development, said the city owes a lot to Bozzani for landing a dealership some of the biggest contributors to city budgets because of all the sales tax they generate.

“It’s been a rough time for many around us and we were so amazed at seeing how Greg pulled it altogether and got us another dealership back,” Neiuber said.

Port Budgets Approved

The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports each recently approved smaller budgets for their next fiscal years as they grapple with double-digit declines in container traffic.

The Los Angeles Harbor Commission on June 4 adopted a budget of $1.1 billion for the Port of Los Angeles’ 2009-2010 fiscal year, which will start July 1; it is about 2 percent smaller than the current budget.

The budget reduces operating expenses by 6 percent but that is partially offset by a 22 percent increase in capital spending on projects such as the upgrade and expansion of shipping and cruise ship terminals.

“Our approved budget reflects the harsh realities of the global economic recession and the financial challenges facing the Port of Los Angeles and our tenants,” said Geraldine Knatz, the port’s executive director, in a statement.

Meanwhile at the neighboring Port of Long Beach, harbor commissioners last month approved an $881 million budget for fiscal year 2010, which will begin Oct. 1.

Long Beach is reducing port spending by about 14 percent, or $139 million from last year, but is allocating $369 million for capital spending projects such as upgrading terminals and electrification of berths for ships at dock.

No License Needed

After almost 10 months of public outcry from cyclists, Los Angeles no longer requires a license to ride a bike within city limits.

Earlier this month, the Los Angeles City Council voted to repeal a city ordinance that required all bicycle owners to pay a $3 fee for a three-year bike license.

Although the program dated back to 1976, the cycling community raised awareness of the issue after Los Angeles Police Department officers started sporadically enforcing the obscure ordinance near downtown last year.

After cycling groups complained to city officials, Police Chief William Bratton recommended dropping enforcement. The Council took a step further by asking City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo to take steps to repeal the ordinance altogether.

News & Notes

World Class Motoring, a luxury automotive accessories retailer based in Agoura Hills, has set up its first satellite showroom-style boutique inside Family Classic Cars, a vintage auto dealership in San Juan Capistrano. Breathe California of Los Angeles County, a non-profit advocacy group for improved air quality, will be holding a public discussion about the ports’ clean air programs at the Port of Los Angeles’ board room in San Pedro at 8 a.m. Wednesday. RSVP is required at www.breathela.org.

Staff reporter Francisco Vara-Orta can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 549-5225, ext. 241.