Ah, Madison, where everyone is a member of the Chamber of Commerce... sort of. In many communities, the Chamber of Commerce is a wholly private organization, funded entirely by its voluntary members. But here in Madison, taxpayers support the Chamber. Madison's Chamber director Julie Gross will appear before the Madison City Commission tonight to request the annual city stipend. This year's request is $69,000.
Now keep in mind, we'll all be supporting the Chamber with our sales tax dollars, but we still won't get the Chamber's coveted "members only" referrals unless we pony up another few hundred dollars for dues. So if you run a business in Lake County that doesn't belong to the Chamber, you're paying tax dollars to refer customers to your competitors. Discover the Unexpectedâ„¢, indeed!
Gross will also request the closure of Main Street to vehicles during Crazy Days at the end of the month. Of course, given the city's recent hesitance to obstruct traffic downtown, I suppose we can expect the commission to recommend the Chamber move its retail extravanganza to Prairie Village.
Holding a "White Night" festival in downtown is a bit different than holding a crazy days sale for all the businesses on main street. Not to mention, people would rather be outdoor for a music festival then on a paved street. Someone wasn't doing their homework if their first choice was downtown Madison.
Sure, Dan, nobody likes listening to music on paved streets. That's why all those street dances are such flops.
Related: The Roscoe Village Burger Fest brings in 65% of the local Chamber of Commerce's revenue for the year. They have lots of bands that appear to perform on a paved street.
Dan, you appear to be inhaling too many fumes from that LAIC money your boss gets. Take a breather. If the LAIC did as much homework as the Madison Area Arts Council does, Forward Madison might actually have increased the number of jobs in town.
You love to make assumptions, don't you Carl? You also love to drag topics into one another because your arguments are so terribly weak. I am currently self-employed and trying to make a home in Madison so don't try to imply that you know me or what I do. I guess if you want to compare a music festival with a street dance, then by all means do it. I'd also be curious as to how much revenue would actually go back to the taxpayers from your festival. It's also funny how you think one town having a street dance means it will work for another. The same way you think that one small town can have two grocery stores, so why can't we. Look at the big picture, buddy. If you would have done that, you might have made a good living for yourself. I find fault in listening to someone who can't hold a job telling the rest of us how to create them. Someone is confusing their own little world with reality.
Carl? It's Cory. And let's see your full name, "buddy."
And wait now, are we talking job creation or music festivals? Who's pulling issues together now? You're all over the map, running from refuting the points made.
If I'm mistaken about your employer, I apologize and accept the correction. I was of the impression you worked for Bulldog Media.
But that doesn't change the fact that your accusation that the Madison Area Arts Council isn't doing its homework is flat wrong. I am looking at the big picture. The Chamber and LAIC are not.
And you're talking tax revenue? O.K. You tell me how much more sales tax revenue Crazy Days brings to town compared to a music festival. You tell me why the city would bestow a favor on a dwindling retail tradition but not bestow a similar and less inconvenient favor (one block closed instead of three) on a new cultural event with the potential to grow and bring new visitors and new dollars to town.
"Who’s pulling issues together now? You’re all over the map, running from refuting the points made."
Taking points from the best at distorting and confusing.
"If I’m mistaken about your employer, I apologize and accept the correction. I was of the impression you worked for Bulldog Media."
Your impressions are wrong. I work for many local companies.
"The Chamber and LAIC are not."
Care to back that up? You seem to think the past 5 years are a good time of growth? Wow....I'd be happy with no less than 5-10% losses during that time. Anyone who can bring in business is doing very well. I highly doubt you are capable of what you claim simply by viewing how your treat business owners and anyone making a profit.
"O.K. You tell me how much more sales tax revenue Crazy Days brings to town compared to a music festival."
No need to. Your the one who wants the music festival there. You prove to me it should be there b/c I could care less. Sounds like the Arts Council didn't do their homework. They should have gotten everyone on board. It really shouldn't have been an issue if what they were selling was true.
Now 5-10% losses constitute success? See, that's what I'm talking about, changing the goal posts, removing accountability. LAIC promised 400 new jobs. Peak workforce numbers came in May 2007. months before the nationwide recession began in Dec. 2007. In May, Lake County had 11% fewer jobs than the number the LAIC promised we'd be at by the end of this year. I await the miracle. But if it doesn't happen, I guess we just wave that away and give the LAIC more money, no questions asked, right?
Let me say right now, if there are ways to get involved, I'm open. I volunteer my services for the LAIC board or other relevant subcommittees.
There are documented examples of music festivals around the country (like the Roscoe Village Burger Fest, which I gave you, which funds their Chamber) that benefit their communities. It's not that hard to see... unless you are committed to rationalizing the bad choices of a local commercial elite committed to protecting a stauts quo that serves a few.
"Now 5-10% losses constitute success?"
In the economic condition of the past 5, heck even 10 years, I'll take a small decline as a success. You need to realize that Madison will never be an economic hub and once the school is gone, this town will die.
"But if it doesn’t happen, I guess we just wave that away and give the LAIC more money, no questions asked, right?"
Do something about it. You elected them. You can recall them or replace them. I still don't think you would do any better.
"It’s not that hard to see… unless you are committed to rationalizing the bad choices of a local commercial elite committed to protecting a stauts quo that serves a few."
Not committed, but not about to alienate and remove all chances of ever succeeding in this town. Have you ever heard of working with them, rather then taking an entire stance against everyone of them because you are hung up on a few?
If you guys are done with the pudding match...
Most Chambers are funded with tax money. Both property taxes and sales. Most chambers form other groups to funel the money back to them to make it more paletteable to the local gov unit.
Take Sf. The CVB is run by the chamber but gets thousands from the city. In fact Sf just passed a new tax to fund cvb / chamber.
I wanted to take a moment to clarify the intent and dedicated efforts of the Madison Area Arts Council, which has seemingly come into question throughout this conversation, in particular in regards to our most recent and successful White Night festival.
When we organized our festival last year, which we do so as volunteers, we sought to engage the downtown community, with the intent on having local businesses stay open throughout the evening (well I was asking till 8-9pm) as a way to help bring some new 'light' to our downtown corridor. We even hosted several local businesses at our location, Mochavinos and Aramark to offer some really limited food service for our attendees. The hope was to provide a free opportunity for everyone, even the downtown businesses, as a way to promote our community and to provide for a great family friendly event, which we did accomplish, drawing 300 visitors into downtown.
I should probably clarify White Night itself is not just another music festival, it's a whole different approach, with plein air artists, gallery showings, kids activities, and yes, live music and theatre too. It's just an incredible thing to see happen (and yes, an economic development engine too, as the arts bring a return of $14 back on every $1 invested locally in South Dakota, that's a darn good investment for sure!)
With our move to Prairie Village this year, which honestly I'd rather have stayed downtown where we operate our gallery from, The BrickHouse, I will say that Prairie Village has been terrific and supportive of the festival, and it has been a great experience for us, and for our community. We are eager to return next June to the village, and maybe with another double rainbow too, as you can never have too many of those.
I am proud of the continued work of our dedicated volunteers and supporters, as our organization continues to help support, nurture, and develop the arts and artists of our region, all for the continued benefit of our community. It's an amazing thing to see happen, and to be a small part of, and we are humbled to be the oldest arts council in the state, as that speaks the years of dedication and work done by so many of us.
This year, we requested the amount of $5k from the City of Madison to continue our efforts, which is the same amount we received last year. We have also secured a 1k matching grant from the South Dakota Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts for our forthcoming White Night festival, and we are eager to continue on this new tradition, and the rightly earned title of being the first White Night festival in the lower 48. We also are grateful for the continued support we receive from our community, and together, we strive to be and remain the most respected and admired arts organization in the state.
Chris Francis
President, Madison Area Arts Council
http://www.facebook.com/madisonareaartscouncil
Well said Chris!
the chamber of commerce, at the national level, is run by a lot of rich assholes; at the local level, i don't think it's necessarily that way, but a lot of them are wannabees, and plenty of them are rich assholes.
At our local level, I think they have Madison's best interest at heart.