Missing the point re GSC mailer controversy

... The Government Study Commnission is NOT a branch of the Lancaster
County government. Nor does it represent any function of that government.
The GSC is supposed to be entirely independent.

The GSC has no legal claim on the Lancaster County logo. By publishing an
advertisement that includes the Lancaster County logo, the GSC is saying to
the public that it represents the Lancaster County government, which it does
not.

If the GSC wants to find private funding to sell their position to the
public, then the County Commissioners cannot stop them. On the other hand,
the County Commissioners do have the right to refuse taxpayer funding for an
"advertisement" that advocates one particular position, instead of being an
educational piece.

I understand that it is the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry which
will "privately" fund the GSC mailer, which is clearly designed to get
people to vote in favor of "home rule". Remember this is the same Chamber
that presented the idea of "home rule" and the GSC, the same Chamber which
worked so hard to get enough signatures so their proposal would appear on
the ballot.

This is the same Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry which exists to
promote the agenda of the biggest and most powerful businesses in Lancaster
County. Since the Lancaster Chamber is funded by its member businesses,
primarily by the largest and most powerful ones, it must cater to the
demands of these special interests.

This is the same Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry which, through
its Lancaster Alliance affiliate, came up with the idea for a hotel and
convention center project in downtown Lancaster. When the LDR
International/Winterbottom report only recommended a small conference center
in Lancaster Square, it was the Lancaster Chamber/Lancaster Alliance which
on its own came up with the idea of a large "private-public partnership"
project at Penn Square (perhaps with a little prompting from certain members
of the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce). And, of course, this is the same
Lancaster Chamber/Lancaster Alliance which has been pushing the streetcar
project, and created the Lancaster Streetcar Co.

The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been pushing for "home
rule" specifically so no two County Commissioners can ever again block the
special-interest projects of its members. This is evidenced by the fact
that the single most powerful individual in Lancaster County government
would be appointed by the County Commissioners, not elected by voters, and
therefore not directly accountable to the people of Lancaster County. This
is the very same individual which the proposed "home rule" charter claims is
to provide a means of "checks and balances" to the very same County
Commissioners which would appoint them!

The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry exists to promote the special
interests of its members. Any project or proposal that it generates or
promotes is for the benefit of its own members, not for the benefit of the
people of Lancaster City and County. Their actions over the last few
decades have proven this beyond any shadow of a doubt.