Uninvited to the block party

The attitude of the Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce to the Menlo Park Downtown Alliance baffles me. I would expect that the Chamber would champion the views of the Alliance, since they share membership and, I would have thought, the same objectives for business success in the downtown. However, the Chamber has been opposed to the Alliance almost from Day 1. The Chamber is losing the support of local businesses as a result. Many businesspeople are not renewing their memberships or have already ceased to participate. The Chamber should re-examine its purpose and constituency.

Strange conduct on the part of the Chamber, very strange indeed. Almost all of the members of the Alliance are members of the Chamber and have MP business licenses, which leads one to the conclusion that the Chamber was bowing to the demands of Bohannon et al (who loudly disagree with the Alliance) rather than applying some objective standard as to who could have a table at the event. When a Chamber begins to represent Developers, rather than businesses and owners of commercial property, it is no longer a Chamber of Commerce. The interests of the two groups are seldom the same, and, as the Bible wisely says: No man can serve two masters. If the current Chamber chooses to represent Developers, perhaps the business owners should look elsewhere or take the Chamber back to represent their own interests.