EDC, Chamber should withdraw gracefully

To The Eagle:

Our editor prizes brevity, which perhaps explains why last week's editorial concerning the Chamber of Commerce/EDC merger was spare in its account of the adventures of the Economic Development Council. In an attempt to rescue the faltering golf course a few years ago, the EDC set up a condominium project complete with golf cart garages which, in theory, would disgorge a crowd of wealthy and eager golfers onto the course on a daily basis. The contractor balked until the town agreed to spring for a sewer system, and the town, pleading poverty, turned to the county commissioners for help, which they did to the tune of $311,000. They promised to refurbish coffers with fees from the multitude of sewer hookup fees that would follow. The sewer was built; the condo was not, nobody hooked up and now the town wants Mr. Mann to pay for a huge chunk of the fiasco to hook the highway market up. The mayor says, "outrageous," and we agree.

Other EDC ventures include taking two downtown buildings out of play in pursuit of an art district that never materialized, attempted hostile takeovers of some civic enterprises which cost the Pioneer Community Association and the museum time and legal fees bullet proofing their by-laws; a series of dog-and-pony shows advocating acquisition of downtown waterfront property to build a condo/shopping complex; and the persistently reincarnating business incubator scheme to build another empty building in a town of empty buildings to hatch some as-yet undisclosed fledgling businesses. All these activities are by a generously salaried director and a more modestly remunerated secretary out of plush offices in downtown Cathlamet, mostly at taxpayer expense. Now they are being de-funded by the state and are retreating into the apparently open arms of the Chamber of Commerce, which also seems to have managed to get itself on the public dole.

We have just completed an election cycle that delivered a sharp rebuke to our president and congress concerning confiscatory taxation, over-regulation and irresponsible spending and the same message was delivered to the states (nearly 700 representatives replaced along with a couple of dozen governors). "Wining and dining" businesses to lure them in is not only ineffectual but perilously close to political corruption, and pouring tax money into commercial enterprise is the foundation of what is commonly called "crony capitalism."

The EDC should gracefully accept its fate, the Chamber should proceed with haste to disengage from the public trough and our town and county leaders should do their utmost to facilitate their progress in this direction.

Howard Brawn

Puget Island