When I was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, I appreciated hearing from the Candidates both for School Board and for Simi Valley City Council. Some candidates joined the Chamber and attended their monthly events, including the popular Friday morning breakfast events. I got a sense that these Candidates cared about local business and it was a good opportunity as a business owner to get to know them on a deeper level. During my time as a Chamber of Commerce member, I had the opportunity to meet several City Council Members, School Board Trustees and Candidates for State Assembly. One year, I assisted with the moderation of a candidates forum, holding up a yellow sign to indicate to the candidate that only 30 seconds remained in their time limit, and a red sign to indicate their time was up. It was a tough job, but I pulled it off… barely.

I think all candidates, particularly City Council candidates, should consider a membership with the Chamber of Commerce to reach out to the business community. I’m not certain if this is still the case, but several years ago there was a special rate for candidates running for office. At the very least, participating in the Chamber of Commerce candidates forum is an absolute must in my opinion.