Walnut : Business Survey Rejected

A controversial proposal to survey local business owners on whether they support the city’s annual pledge of $7,000 to the Walnut Valley Chamber of Commerce was derailed at Wednesday’s council meeting.

Councilman Drexel L. Smith, who introduced the plan, said the survey would provide useful feedback from Walnut’s approximately 700 business owners on how the city could best direct its dollars to bolster local enterprise.

“Look, folks, we’re going to have a budget shortfall in the near future,” Smith said. “For the last three years, we’ve told the Chamber of Commerce to start looking at becoming self-supporting.”

Opponents of the proposed survey argued that the chamber earns its keep by promoting local businesses, which increases the city’s sales tax revenue.

Faced with opposition from a majority of the council, Smith changed his proposal, asking his colleagues to support a general survey of business owners on how the city could most effectively support their efforts.

That plan was approved on a 3-2 vote, with Sykes and Mayor Ray T. Watson dissenting.