With apologies to Machiavelli, the modern version of his advice is that if you illegally use corporate money to try to influence the election for the mayor and council...you had better be sure that your candidate actually wins.
So this should come as no surprise.
Scottsdale will dump its membership in the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce's Partner Council amid worries the business advocacy group might have used taxpayer money to help fund ads now at the heart of a campaign-finance dispute.
If the Scottsdale Chamber were acting like a traditional Chamber and just advocating for lower taxes, less regulation and a more favorable business climate--plus providing networking opportunities for members--the the Council's decision wouldn't really be a problem. After all, the city only pays about $2,500 in dues.
But the Scottsdale Chamber long ago morphed into a GOVERNMENT advocacy organization--seeking preferences and subsidies from city government on behalf of members. So now the loss of confidence by the Mayor and council means everything. Chamber membership has actually become a liability to members.
Oh, and by the way, those elections that went so badly for the Chamber...four year terms.
Ouch.
if someone did a serious audit on Scottsdale govt you would be shocked. Scottsdale spends money on all sorts of idiotic crap for instance some idiot artist in Phoenix who made a crappy light sculpture (that shows Swatztikas! not joking) for Toronto.
Posted by: arizonan | December 03, 2009 at 09:23 PM
Exactly. Why do businesses like PF Changs, Mortens and Cheesecake Factory go to Kierland (Phx) instead of the Promenade (Scottsdale) which was still subsidized by Scottsdale taxpayers? Answer the water fees needed to support Scottsdale's bloated government and feel good programs are way over the top. Check it out. They pump all of the waste water up hill then treat it. I thought crap flowed downhill. We need a group that keeps us competitive as a community. With a shrinking business base, just us residents are left to pay taxes to support all this stuff.
Posted by: Local Biz Owner | December 03, 2009 at 11:15 PM
if youre not on the inside group and sleeping with ie. Scottsdale Arts, you're out of luck. thanks for the tax money idiots!
Posted by: arizonan | December 03, 2009 at 11:42 PM
Judy Burges and I were opposed by a 527 committee in 2004 that was run by the Northwest Valley Chamber of Commerce. They were doing the dirty work of the mayors in the area and the AEA. Their candidates, Hubbs and Burke both lost. The President of the Chamber, Debbie Wilden was eventually run out of town to Wickenburg and then to rural Arizona.
Posted by: State Senator Jack Harper | December 04, 2009 at 09:56 AM
I really hate lobbies and pacs that are not transparent.
Posted by: Jim Torgeson | December 04, 2009 at 10:34 AM
Jim T -- me too, like the one that was collecting money for Sheriff Joe's re-election
Posted by: ron | December 04, 2009 at 01:22 PM