What's the Deal with the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce?

By Thornton Crowe

Historically, America was founded by small business owners who came together to form communities. Entrepreneurs were the foundation of our early society and, through their growth, they made our country the land of free enterprise, bursting with hope and prosperity.

With all the scuffle lately about the local government's issues, one local agency seems to not weighed in publicly on the problems Salisbury faces is the Chamber of Commerce.

Much of the Eastern Shore is based in agriculture regardless of what the local bourgeois would have you believe. The white collar professions on the shore are relegated mostly to three professions: doctors, lawyers and accountants. However, with so many of them in the Salisbury area, most are not listed with the Chamber.

Furthermore, it seems they don't really promote the small business community as we watch one by one, businesses closing every week. I've known many people who have operated businesses here for years that have never received so much as a phone call from them.

Suspiciously, the Chamber doesn't seem to have any proclivities with downtown turning into a Section 8 slum, driving what few businesses are there, out of the area. They have remained relatively silent about the safety and parking issues brought about by Mayor Jake Day's big plan for the new skid row planned for three parking lots, which would bring more money to the city if they were business-driven rather than low income housing.

Now, we have a President who promotes business, yet our local Chamber has failed to tap into this new enthusiasm towards American Business. In fact, from their actions during the general election, where they promoted the candidate who had no intention of supporting small business and wanted to crush it further with more stifling regulations. Since her loss in November, it seems they've packed up their toys and gone home.

One has to wonder why the Chamber doesn't seem to be interested in growing our local economy through encouraging new business creation and growth. While their site boasts of small business loans for women-owned business and other tools, they don't seem to be big on advertising - which is odd considering their membership fees are steep enough to afford more effective marketing strategies.

While they currently scout for a new CEO, it doesn't appear they're thinking outside-the-box by going with candidates that aren't already in their clique. They seem to be looking towards getting a good-ole-boy-network player, who will just carry on the same failed policies that have led to Salisbury having more closures than grand openings.

Additionally, by their silence on local issues like the downtown plan, it would seem the Chamber is complicit with the downward spiral the city has experienced for the last couple of decades. Therefore, are they, like City Hall, another organization bent on destroying any semblance of what used to make Salisbury a palpable place to work and raise a family? 

One would think it would be in the their best interest to boost the local business because it brings more money into Salisbury instead of eliminating it but perhaps I hold a misconception of what exactly the Chamber of Commerce's mission is really all about. For all the inner-clique, it might as well be a downtown annex for the old Green Hill Country Club circuit...

What say you?