Should the Chamber Endorse Political Candidates?

Should the Petaluma Chamber of Commerce endorse political candidates? That's something numerous chambers around the country already do, but that the local chamber—a champion of business interests in the community—has so far avoided. That may change, depending on the response it receives from its 800 plus members to a survey the chamber has posted.

The survey also asks members to consider to what extent the chamber should be involved in city politics and whether it should be able to form a Political Action Committee to raise money for local and regional candidates.

Chamber CEO Onita Pellegrini said no one issue prompted the survey and that it’s something the organization does regularly to keep in touch with its membership.

“We do these surveys every seven to eight years and it was time to do it again,” Pellegrini said. Members have until March 25 to complete the survey, the results of which will be posted on the chamber’s website.