Where are our Private Sector Leaders?

Elected officials are the backbone of any democracy. Men and women stand for election to effect change or to maintain what exists. Both are legitimate roles of government. For government to operate at optimum effectiveness and efficiency, however, non-elected individuals and groups need to participate and seek to influence those elected officials.

I am not speaking here of special interest groups that see government--local government in this case--as something they need to influence or manipulate. Developers, labor unions and various business groups come to mind here. I am instead speaking of well known and respected individuals, usually business leaders, that care about the community as a whole and want to use their influence to make our community even better.

Unfortunately, the greater Fresno area seems to have lost the last vestiges of leadership by community opinion-makers. An exception might be made here for the efforts of the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce's attempt to get the City and County of Fresno to consolidate selected police and sheriff activities, and Mr. Dan Doyle, a local banker, effort to establish a public benefit corporation (PBID) to encourage development downtown. The former president of Pelco lent his support to the zoo funding campaign. Other than these examples, when was the last time you saw a respected and influential private sector citizen come downtown to speak before the City Council or Board of Supervisors on an important issue?

I remember years ago the influence of influential citizens when I was a county supervisor for Racine County, Wisconsin. A number of supervisors believed that a marina on Lake Michigan (Racine County and Milwaukee County shared beautiful lake frontage in Southeast Wisconsin) would be a significant economic development asset, but the project would need voter approval. Leaders in the business community shared the vision and lent their support to the marina concept. The voters approved and a successful marina was built.

In this very difficult economic period, I call on private sector leaders to raise their voices to demand city and county elected officials to place their turf issues aside and work together for improved effectiveness and efficiency in the provision of public services. These influential citizens should insist upon the creation of a commission to make recommendations that will go to the voters for approval. The process would be a reprise of the leadership taken by the private sector almost 20 years ago to create the successful strong mayor governance system for the City of Fresno.

Local elected officials are loath to challenge the status quo. To do so would be to threaten their current position and the special interests that helped to put them there.

One of the lessons I learned during my eight year tenure on the Fresno City Council was the significant influence of even one dedicated business leader speaking on behalf of an important issue. Multiply the one influential business person by a few more and elected leaders pay big-time attention.

Now is the time Mr. and Mrs. business person to demand change from those elected officials that continue to sit on their hands. Fresno needs you.

Coming Soon...

1. Let's not tinker with the City of Fresno Charter.
2. College students, program reviews and jobs.
3. "Choice" for parents and students in our local schools.

Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail abriancalhoun@gmail.com.