[Vision2020] Fwd: IACI Represents Only Interstate & Global

[Tom Trail]

>>Visionaries--a good article about the major business lobby in Idaho.

Rep. Tom Trail

>>
>>Influential IACI poised to shrink
>>
>>Higher costs for voice in powerful Idaho business lobby likely to 
>>drive out some ag, small-business members
>>
>><mailto:ghahn at idahostatesman.com>Gregory Hahn
>>Idaho Statesman
>>
>>The Idaho Statesman | Edition Date: 07-13-2006
>>
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>>
>>The most powerful business lobby in the state is losing some 
>>members after the group raised the price of seats at its 
>>influential table.
>>
>>And the state's chambers of commerce, which represent the front 
>>lines of business and economic development, may create their own 
>>statewide organization to speak for small-and medium-sized 
>>businesses in Idaho.
>>
>>The Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry heads to its annual 
>>meeting at Tamarack Resort this weekend, and the group's plan to 
>>face the future will be a hot topic.
>>
>>"Why give them $1,000 if you don't get a vote?" asked Stan Boyd, 
>>the lobbyist for the Idaho Wool Growers Association, whose dues 
>>would almost triple.
>>
>>His group and the Idaho Grain Producers Association both plan to 
>>drop out of IACI, and other agricultural and resource groups are 
>>debating the move.
>>
>>The sheep ranchers were a founding member of IACI in 1974 - Boyd 
>>still has the plaque in his office. But the IACI board has adopted 
>>a new set of rules that makes trade associations pay $1,000 a year 
>>just to attend the meetings and requires any businesses hoping for 
>>a vote on the policy committee to spend at least $5,000 a year. 
>>Company dues, depending on the size of the business, would range 
>>from $500 to $10,000.
>>
>>"They're just making it a rich man's club," Boyd said. "It'll make 
>>for a lot less crowded room."
>>
>>But smaller crowds are what some in the group want.
>>
>>"In some ways, it probably makes sense to have IACI be more 
>>focused," said Alex LaBeau, executive director of the Idaho 
>>Association of Realtors, which plans to remain an IACI member. "If 
>>your interests are too broad, you can't make a decision."
>>
>>Fred Zerza, a Simplot Co. executive, served on the nine-member 
>>panel that wrote the new rules, along with representatives from 
>>Qwest, Micron Technology, Monsanto and other companies.
>>
>>"This in no way diminishes IACI's support for agriculture or any 
>>other business," he said. "We think the new structure will make 
>>IACI more efficient long-term for all business in Idaho."
>>
>>But the feeling among some in Idaho's lobby and business worlds is 
>>that the big companies like Idaho Power Co. and Micron wanted the 
>>organization to themselves.
>>
>>"After the water deal last year, it was obvious there were a few 
>>people running this anyway," said Dar Olberding, who lobbies for 
>>the Grain Growers. "Why give them any more money?"
>>
>>That "water deal" was one of the most contentious issues the 
>>Statehouse has seen in years, with Idaho Power and users of surface 
>>and spring water in the Magic Valley going head to head with 
>>groundwater pumpers and farmers from eastern Idaho.
>>
>>IACI members fought over that, and they had a hard time agreeing on 
>>property tax policy, too. Along with the announced retirement of 
>>the group's popular and influential president, Steve Ahrens, the 
>>2006 session was a tough one for the group that had gone a decade 
>>without a single issue passing the Legislature that its board had 
>>formally opposed.
>>
>>IACI's incoming chairman, Qwest's Idaho President Jim Schmit, said 
>>the changes were made to focus the group just on the issues that 
>>mean the most to business and to help IACI become more pro-active.
>>
>>"This is absolutely not a move by the larger organizations to take 
>>control," he said.
>>
>>With the group still so potent in the Statehouse, it was time to do 
>>the first major evaluation of its structure in more than a decade, 
>>he said.
>>
>>"When you want to be everything to everybody, you end up being 
>>nothing to nobody," he said. "You want to do this at your peak. You 
>>don't want to wait until you've gone over the hump."
>>
>>Still, Boyd and Olberding said some agricultural groups may put 
>>more weight behind the Idaho Food Producers - a group that meets 
>>weekly during legislative sessions.
>>
>>And Ray Stark, government affairs director for the Boise Chamber of 
>>Commerce, said the 40 or so state chambers plan to discuss this 
>>fall the chances of creating their own group, one that may not be 
>>too dissimilar from the statewide chamber that merged with another 
>>business group to become IACI 30 years ago.
>>
>>"An Idaho Chamber of Commerce would be an organization that would 
>>represent the diverse small, medium and large businesses throughout 
>>Idaho," Stark said.
>>
>>And unlike IACI, the group could agree with the Boise chamber to 
>>support local-option sales taxes and more funding for public 
>>transportation and community colleges.
>>
>>Former IACI chairman and current state Sen. Brad Little said time - 
>>and the person chosen to replace Ahrens as president - will tell 
>>how the changes will affect IACI's considerable clout in the 
>>Statehouse. At least some of that clout comes from the group's 
>>smaller members, which hail from every legislative district and 
>>aren't afraid to call their lawmakers.
>>
>>"I would advise my friends at IACI to not become the voice of only 
>>big business," Little said.
>
>
>--
>
>Dr. Tom Trail
>International Trails
>1375 Mt. View Rd.
>Moscow, Id. 83843
>Tel:  (208) 882-6077
>Fax:  (208) 882-0896
>e mail ttrail at moscow.com


-- 
Dr. Tom Trail
International Trails
1375 Mt. View Rd.
Moscow, Id. 83843
Tel:  (208) 882-6077
Fax:  (208) 882-0896
e mail ttrail at moscow.com
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