Greater Pensacola Chamber, which was founded in 1889, no longer has a brick-and-mortar office, at least temporarily. When it returns, the office will only have four staff members there. The remaining five employees will work remotely in the age of COVID.
From the Chamber: “Your Pensacola Chamber has moved office locations. We are no longer at the 890 S. Palafox, Suite 202 location. Due to COVID-19, we have been working remotely and are now close to signing a short term lease at a new office building. However, for the foreseeable future, most of our staff will continue to work remotely.
The new office will only house 4 of our 9 staff members. Our mailing address is: P.O. BOX 550, Pensacola, FL 32591. Our office# remains the same, 850-438-4081.”
I think that Inweekly and others should refer to this chamber of commerce, one of “many” in the two-county Pensacola Bay Area by its real name – “The Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc.” It is incorporated under that name as a Florida Not For Profit Corporation. Up until 2004, its name had been “The Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc.” An enterprising news reporter could have a field day identifying all of the chambers of commerce in the Pensacola Bay Area, deciphering their geographic area of reach and identifying who funds them to include which governmental agencies. In the current city budget, there is mention that the city’s airport (owned by the people of the city) pays a subscription rate to the “Chamber of Commerce.” Why? Why does the city (all of its residents citizens of Escambia County) pay money to the Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of Commerce, also referred to in the budget as the Gulf Coast African American Chamber of Commerce? The county pays too. City taxpayers gets taxed twice, one of “many” forms of dual-taxation owing to the lack of coordination between the city and county. Which other governmental entities in the “Gulf Coast” give money to the Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of Commerce? What does it do that the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce could not do for minorities? The city has a law that gives preference in the city contracting process to minority businesses to include those owned by African-Americans. The businesses may be in a two-state, six county area extending from Mobile to Walton County. This was a scheme pushed by the Gulf Coast African-American Chamber of Commerce. How does that city help city businesses and city residents. Perhaps tongue in cheek, then City Administrator Eric Olson said that perhaps some city residents worked for a qualifying business in Mobile? This is who they waste our money in city hall. Which governmental agencies in the “Greater Pensacola” area give money to the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce? I have always wanted to know if any government in Santa Rosa County gave it money?