What “local business development groups” are you referring to? The Rainier Chamber of Commerce Board is dominated by representatives of non-profit groups, including the President of the Board of Directors. The Rainier Chamber of commerce hasn’t had pro-active leadership for several years. The Rainier Chamber is not the powerful voice of the community that it once was. Advocacy on behalf of business appears no longer to be a priority of the Rainier Chamber in recent years. Where is their business retention plan? Do they offer assistance to struggling businesses? Where is their campaign to promote local businesses to local residents? What about a campaign to promote local businesses to other communities beyond the Rainier Valley?

The Columbia City Business Association is focused inward, more worried about litter and garbage collection than attracting new business to Columbia City. Their latest initiative was to create a local improvement district that can assess fees on Columbia City property owners for street improvements. Assessing fees on property owners during the worst economic climate in about 80 years doesn’t sound like a good idea to me? Besides, where is the city money for street improvements? City leaders have voted to spend over $240 million dollars to benefit South Lake Union but they can’t spend a few thousand in Columbia City? What’s wrong with this picture? Why isn’t the CCBA pointing out the double standard and seeking city money rather than pursuing local property owners for nickels and dimes?

The city’s Office of Economic Development has no special plan for to encourage economic development in the Rainier Valley. The city has special incentives for housing developers but nothing to help stimulate jobs and business in the most fragile community in the city. The Office of Economic Development seems to have little interest in the economic health of southeast Seattle. On the flip side, the Office of Housing LOVES southeast Seattle. They have endless plans to steer more social services and homeless housing here.

About 50 businesses have either closed or moved away from the Rainier Valley since the light rail began construction. Even prosperous (looking) Columbia City has lost some businesses and more may close as a result of the economic downturn. Is anybody paying attention? Is anybody doing anything about it?

It seems the Rainier Valley Community Development Fund IS the only business development agency in the Rainier Valley. Their mission is to help existing businesses to survive the impact of light rail and to encourage and support new business development in the future. Pray tell, what other group should be more focused on business development than the RVCDF? What is the RVCDF plan to preserve existing businesses and promte new business here? Is there a marketing campaign? Is RVCDF lobbying the city for economic stimulus money? What about lobbying the city to re-focus Block Grant monies toward economic development rather than social services housing –the city’s current priority? Does the RVCDF have an ‘action plan’ for southeast Seattle business as the recession deepens?

(BTW, claiming that 80% of businesses survived light rail construction is unimpressive. That simply means that 20% of businesses did NOT survive).

Thank God for business-savvy, cool-headed, data-driven individuals such as Pete Lamb and Rob Mohn — if it weren’t for these two guys, Columbia City would still be wallowing in crime and destitution.

Now the local business development groups needs to get serious about attracting additional private venture capitalists, since 1) this venture has yet to prove profitable, and 2) Mr. Lamb and Mr. Mohn may not always be there to save the day.

Let’s hope the RVCDF will look for other private-sector funding opportunities in the future. After all, the fund was intended to support business development in the Rainier Valley and we’ve seen too many businesses close and leave the community in the last decade. Let’s get those dollars out into the community and growing some new businesses!