Your Opinion: Candidates talk Chamber

Dear Editor:

None of the mayoral candidates in the March 1 edition could give any reason the Chamber of Commerce should receive any tax money. Bob Scrivner said, "Neither the city nor the county "give' money to the chamber."

How else could it be described when nothing is received in return? The increase proposed demonstrates that the Chamber is not fairly evaluated, because all money would be removed if that were the case. Carrie Tergin as well as Scrivner wants to buy time by giving money this year but evaluating next year. That makes no sense as no benefit has been received from the Chamber after millions of dollars have been given to them. Time has expired on the Chamber.

Tergin wants to weaken criticism of the Chamber for supporting defeated school and county zoning issues. The Chamber was the second highest contributor to the zoning campaign with $5,000. Only the National Realtors Association in Chicago gave more. The county zoning campaign was outrageous because the people to be zoned did not want it. Only their overwhelming vote prevented city voters from passing zoning which was the plan of the Chamber and Realtors. The Chamber was the instigator of the transformation tax which was defeated by 20 percent even though they spent $80,000 on the campaign. Not only has the Chamber not brought any economic development, they have tried to force devious proposals past voters.

How can these two candidates suggest that giving money to the Chamber is good business? Any business that had no success after receiving so much money would be out of business. If the Chamber were a business, it would have been bankrupt a long time ago. The difference is that the Council and commission are not spending their money but give yours away.

Roy Viessman's suggestion of an industrial development commission has possibilities but care should be taken to prevent the Chamber from infiltrating any other mechanism of development. Failure of the Chamber will be transferred to the new entity. It is time to find a new way to do economic development because giving the Chamber money is not working.

We would be better off with no economic development program than one that receives money but does not produce anything for it. The money given to the Chamber could have been used for worthwhile city and county needs.

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