As a candidate for City Council, I received an expected questionnaire from the Peoria Area Chamber PAC, except that it’s not the Peoria Area Chamber PAC anymore. It’s the Business PAC of Central Illinois, or “Biz PAC” for short. The letter explains that they are “no longer a subsidiary organization of the Chamber,” but rather “an independent business focused political action committee.” According to the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce’s website, the change was effective November 1:
[T]he Chamber and the Peoria Area Chamber PAC are ready for change. Both organizations’ boards have made the decision that it is time for the PAC to stand on its own. We believe this strategy is advantageous for both. The Chamber can focus its political efforts on its issue advocacy work. The PAC can focus its efforts on candidates and issues important to the business community even if those candidates or issues are outside the sphere of the Chamber.
Effective November 1, 2010, the Peoria Area Chamber PAC will no longer be an affiliate of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce or The Heartland Partnership. The PAC will stand on its own under the name Business PAC of Central Illinois. All governance connections between the two organizations have been eliminated. The Business PAC of Central Illinois, as other organizations have done with various members of the Heartland Partnership family, has contracted with the Chamber to provide administrative services that include staff support, meeting space, etc.
The committee members listed on the Biz PAC’s stationery are: Tom Landon (Chairman), Henry Vicary (1st VP), Diana Hall (2nd VP), Julie Russell (Treasurer), Tim Moore (Secretary), Tim Bertschy, Dr. Andy Chiou, James Gilkesson, and Jay Harms. Biz PAC’s mission is, “Dedicated to electing pro-business candidates in races of local importance.” And just what do they consider a “pro-business” candidate, you may ask? The Chamber’s website indicates it would be someone “who support[s] the business community, stands[s] for growth and believe[s] in good government.”
Ha ha ha … just a point of order … not what they were looking for when they endorsed Lynn Pearson — anti-business with the asphalt issue and pro-museum which regresses growth by not focusing on basic services to maintain the inner core of Peoria, raising sales tax which is regressive in and of itself.
We’ll see who makes the cut of the ten at-large candidates……
I laughed when I read that too, Karrie, but it’s really sad. This PAC masquerading as a pro-business, good govt. organization, when, if fact, there is no pro-business, good government advocate in this town.
Karrie… you lost. Get over it. It makes you seem small and petty bringing this up. You’re better than that.
Get over it … I did lose. I am over it. Just like Mouse commented …. walk the talk — their endorsements don’t match their mission statement.
As for your opinion of what my motivation is … you missed the mark.
I would have made the comment if it were about another candidate whether the candidate won or lost, no difference just because the candidate happened to be me in this instance. I would have made the comment before I ran and I will make the comment since I lost…. at least my behavior is consistent. And of course you are entitled to your opinion too. Just have to agree to disagree…. 🙂
CJ — maybe you should “vet” your potential answers to the questionnaire on here for instant feedback. Or in a move of transparency (or WikiLeaks – Peoria edition), post the questions and your answers so they aren’t filtered by the PAC and everyone knows where you stand.
You may not give the “right” answers for them (I’m not sure some of them can understand the nuance that you represent regarding developing a business-friendly community through basic services and market-force driven development) but I think many in the community, including myself, will welcome your approach and what you represent.
My only “words of wisdom” (using that term loosely, is to focus on the future and limit the number of references to the past issues surrounding the trail, development agreements, museum, etc.
but any candidate endorsed by the Peoria Journal Star or the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce PAC you may want to reconsider. They are not necessarily interested in who would be the best representative of *the people*.
CJ, I agree with Peo Proud, on posting your complete Q&A with the PAC Questionaire.
We have seen to many times this year how comments & views were taken out of context.
Supports the business community… is there such a thing? Can businesses be a community?
I thought communities were made up of individuals. Maybe what they really mean is supports the CEO and business owners against the workers and customers..
“The Business PAC of Central Illinois has contracted with the Chamber to provide administrative services that include staff support, meeting space, ETC.” (emphasis added)
Translation: The same old people calling the same old shots in the same old place.
This line should raise an eyebrow as well.. “The Chamber can focus its political efforts on its issue advocacy work.”
Whether you agree with them on the issues and what the issues are may be vastly different from one business owner to another. I submit that the Chamber of Commerce has lost complete sight of why they originated and what purpose they serve.
they spun off because of the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United. Biz-Pac remains an arm of the PAC. do not doubt that. now those big slushy dollars swishing around in their coffers can travel more freely. watergate happens everyday in this country now (minus the bugging), given imprimatur by courts.
an aside on the oboe: my college roommate was born in vietnam; his family spent time in guam in a ‘camp.’ his father was an engineer who eventually got a job with texas instruments(this was back when, remember? i am old). his mother never learned english. my roommate became an anesthesiologist. i became an assistant state’s attorney. when i visited, his father was far more impressed that i worked for the government (at about 38k/yr then) than his son who was a doctor (making 500k/yr).
the moral: the scales in this country may be off balance, but the pendulum swing the other way needs stopped.
American greed. Still, in Peoria, it’s “show me the money”. Can’t even fund a musuem or a zoo or a hotel without a major source of government (taxpayer) money.
And then complain how poorly government is run and going broke.
The PAC in the past has only endorsed those who support their Pet projects. They have taken a very narrow minded view in the past and that is why you see the Chamber stepping away from this. Too many Pro Business candidates who have not supported or questoned projects such as the Museum and Hotel, get passed for candidates that will support this project yet disagree with the Chamber views more often than not. I wouldn’t even wast my time with these people now that they have no affiliation but to thmesleves. Make them insignificant and you take control.
http://www.businessinsider.com/cbo-fiscal-stress-faced-by-local-government-2010-12
aaron:
It might make one ponder the question … what would happen to the total EAV in a given area should the peasants support an enmasse property tax protest and be successful enmasse as the EAV being severely decreased?
karrie:
a quicker collapse of the county, city and state house of cards. alas, cities and counties can (attempt anyway) to file bankruptcy (and theoretically able to restructure unsustainable pensions and benefits). there is no mechanism for a state to do so. Institutional holders of municipal and county bonds could be left holding the bag (i doubt it as these are often places like Goldman Sachs et al. who are adept at avoiding losses through hedging or bought-and-paid-for legislation).
it would seem the US will continue its creep toward centralized government (in no small part due to the failure of local and state governmental bodies). i have often said that big brother will not overtake us by steamrolling tanks down main street, but by our own willingness to abdicate responsibility, avoid consequences of our mistakes and be protected from ourselves (even if most would recoil at it being worded that way).
Merry Christmas!
“…past issues surrounding the trail, development agreements, museum, etc.”
Past issues? I don’t know Peoria Proud. Your advice to C.J. was excellent, up to that last part. When you run for office, your ‘platform’ has to address both; the past [what you will do to ‘correct’ it], and the future [what you will do to maintain it].
The problem with “past issues” is they always come back to bite you in the butt. When the museum, etc. goes bust, the people, excuse me…taxpayers of Peoria City/County aren’t going to remember the names of the geniuses who brought us these quality of life projects. They will always go after the current powers that be.
I am sure we can all name a few ‘projects’ that received the city government ‘stamp of approval’, then…………POW! BLAM! WHAMO!
Where did all our money go? I hope I haven’t lost anyone here…..
Good Point New Voice. I just think that C.J. represent a more reasoned and thoughtful approach and will make a good addition to the elected officials. Many will find it easy to overlook this or dismiss it out of hand, if too much focus on past. People like to get behind a vision for the future not a rehash of “what could have been” (and in reality I’m in no position to offer advice to C.J. — he doesn’t need it).
Sounds good to me!