Re: Chamber V. County Commissioner

[Greg Brown <gregb@alaskapacific.edu>]

"Jerry L. Schutz" wrote:

> Those of you who have 'weighed' in on the issue, are adamant anti-business
> and anti-growth people who don't even support the business community in
> Moscow.

    I guess that's me.  I'm not anti-business nor anti-growth
per se.  I (did) support the local business community.
But the Chamber is a coalition of interests and is incapable of
making sound decisions that promote the *local* business
community.  The Chamber cannot and will not take stands
on important issues that directly affect the health and vitality
of the local business community for fear of fracturing the coaliton.
Case in point--the Walmart decision.  The end result is that
all decisions involving business development (even bad
ones) get the nod of approval from the CC.  After all, who
would dare break ranks?  The CC ought to be a place where
one can look for community leadership but it ends up being
a nameless, faceless, lockstep interest group whose
interests always support growth at any cost.  Contrary to
conventional wisdow, growth is not always good.
Ask someone who has cancer.

   I recognize the subject matter being discussed was not a
referendum on the CC but then, I didn't open that door.


--
Greg Brown (gregb@alaskapacific.edu)
Associate Professor, Environmental Science Dept.
Alaska Pacific University
Anchorage, AK  99508
(907) 564-8267  FAX: (907) 562-4276