Editorial Editorial (June 11, 2004)

Chamber must keep politics, issues separate

Planning Commissioner Brian Arkin has expressed concern over the names of paid city staff, including City Manager Deborah McKeehan's, being listed as "issue expert contributors" on an announcement brochure for the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce's new "Vision Pleasanton" program. He suggests that these contributors - four top salaried officials in all - may have used city resources and time to create the brochure in violation of a municipal ethics policy that makes it unlawful "to use the prestige or influence of a city official or employee for private gain for themselves or others."

He has a point. Regrettably, the forward-thinking and ambitious Vision Pleasanton program that is being advanced by the chamber is tied all too closely to its newly launched Business and Community Political Action Committee, or BACPAC. Both were announced at the same breakfast meeting for the media and both share their logos on a four-page brochure that has been circulated in the community. Although the chamber points out that Vision Pleasanton and BACPAC are, by law, separately chartered and funded, they look much the same. Steve Clarkson, the current chairman of the Pleasanton chamber, also serves on the BACPAC committee, along with chamber President Dave Bouchard, who is the BACPAC board's secretary. Otis Nostrand, a past chairman of the chamber, is now the chairman of the BACPAC. This explains why Arkin, along with fellow commissioners Mary Roberts and Anne Fox, might be confused along with others over whether the issue expert contributors to Vision Pleasanton may also be supporters of the chamber's new political action committee that may make specific recommendations and offer financial support to candidates in the Nov. 2 mayoral and City Council races.

Frankly, we're sorry to see the local chamber start a PAC, although it's becoming a national trend among local chambers at the urging of state chambers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Pleasanton has always had a small town atmosphere when it comes to local elections, with candidates relying on family and friends to ring doorbells and stand at Farmers Market to win votes. Today, with Pleasanton's population over 67,000, it takes more sophistication and more money. Teacher and municipal employee unions and environmental groups are actively supporting their candidates; the chamber believes it needs to join in so that the business community has a voice in who seeks and who is elected to local posts.

As for Vision Pleasanton, we're glad to see the chamber making a long overdue effort to become more active in programs and issues affecting our community. The organization, with nearly 1,000 members, can be a positive conduit for financial and professional support in many areas. Its representatives are now attending most public meetings and hearings. At the same time, it's important for those who are the experts in education, law and housing code enforcement, long-range planning and economic issues, to name a few, to continue to contribute to the chamber's new program, just so that their work is far removed from the political agenda the organization also has under way.

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