The fallout from Hillsborough’s homophobia continues.
Last time there was a fight like this in Tampa, back in the 1990′s, the Chamber of Commerce was among the groups supporting equal rights for all, so it’s not surprising to see businesses of all types stepping up and proclaiming the wrongheadedness of a policy that will accomplish absolutely nothing and that may well spark an economic boycott and further this area’s growing reputation as a backward, fearful region ruled by superstitious moralizing fools.
The Democratic Party would do well to use this as a wedge issue with the moderate fiscal conservative types who are open minded and realistic enough to see the huge economic downside to alienating a group of people in which (pdf link)
97% Took vacations in the past 12 months (national average is 64%)
86% Took at least one short (1-3 nights) US domestic vacations, 46% took 3 or more short (1-3 nights) US domestic vacations
81% Took at least one long (4+ nights) domestic US vacation; 50% took 2 or more long US vacations
82% Spent 5+ nights in hotels
72% Rented cars, 18% with 15+ days of car rentals
20% Took at least one cruise (national average is about 2%)
40% Traveled on business, and 57% of those book known “gay friendly” airlines, hotels, etc. when on business trips
36% of those who traveled on business flew first class; 39% flew in business class; 47% spent 11 or more nights in hotels
76% have household incomes above the national average ($40,000+)
30% have household incomes of $100,000+
84% Hold a valid passport (national average is 29%)
67% Belong to frequent flyer programs (national average is about 25%)
53% Spent $5,000 or more per person on vacations in the past year
32% Plan to increase their vacation spending in the coming year; only 16% indicated a planned decrease
Only 7% reduced travel over the past year due to terrorism/security concerns, and only 3% due to SARS
82% Are college/university graduates (national average is 29%)
72% of those who took the 2003 survey are gay male, 23% are lesbian; 61% are in a committed relationship; 5% have children at home
55% Hold professional/executive/management positions
An economic boycott is called for and likely to happen. Ronda Storms and her bootlicking lackeys will be responsible for lost jobs, lost revenue, and maybe even a lost Super Bowl, thus pissing off workers, sports fans, and the business community.
On Monday night, in a small room down the hall from a church sanctuary draped in rainbow banners, several dozen business people, some gay, some straight, flexed muscles in the growing fight over the Hillsborough County Commission’s ban on promoting gay pride.
A lesbian financial planner vowed to contact Jay Feaster, the Tampa Bay Lightning general manager.
“I go to his church, St. Stephen’s Catholic in Valrico,” said Catherine F. James, controller of Priority One Financial Services.
A gay clothing store owner, some of whose customers play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said he’d try to work them for access to owner Malcolm Glazer.
Michael Brill, an associate vice president at Raymond James, said he made it clear to his co-workers that “if you’re working with people who discriminate against me, then don’t come to me for help. They need to know how upset we are.”
Moral outrage has driven opposition to the commission’s 5-1 vote that requires government to “abstain from acknowledging, promoting or participating in gay pride events.”
But in the wider business community, the outrage is linked to a fear that the region’s economy may have been irreparably harmed.
“What happens when we don’t have the Super Bowl here?” said Scott Farrell, a Tampa lawyer who is running for the congressional seat that Jim Davis will vacate. “Don’t kid yourself. It could happen.
“That’s a language that people understand,” Farrell told the business people, part of a 700-strong gathering at Metropolitan Community Church on Monday. “They’re not buying the human rights/civil rights issue, but they do understand economics.”
……Hillsborough Commissioner Mark Sharpe, who ran for his commission seat on a probusiness platform, was among those who voted in favor of the measure last week.
He said Tuesday he didn’t think the plan would have any impact on the business community.
“I wouldn’t do anything that would harm our ability to compete economically,” he said.
Some business leaders aren’t so sure.
“It sends a terrible message both inside and outside the community,” said Peter Kageyama, 40, president of CreativeTampaBay Inc., a nonprofit grass-roots group dedicated to promoting economic and community development. “This is the stuff companies find absolutely repugnant. “Why would I want to bring myself or my company there?’ ”
……Ben Wacksman, president and CEO of Capital Realty Investors LLC, said Monday, “Lifestyle is more important now than tax incentives to relocating companies.”
A former Hillsborough County commissioner, Wacksman is a current member of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors, which will meet Thursday. “The chamber needs to take a leadership role in seeing that our community is seen as tolerant and inclusive,” he said.
Mark Sharpe was elected last year on a pro-business platform.
There’s Sharpe, the Republican Party favorite who supports lower impact fees and other business incentives to build a “strong economic engine” in Hillsborough County. He said his priority as commissioner would be luring new companies and businesses to the area, and helping the ones already here.
Did he even consider the impact this policy might have on local business, or is he so cowed by the wicked witch that he simply flew after the friends of Dorothy on the evil one’s command?
