TREO will no longer require cities and towns to contribute to it in order for towns to be members. The result: Oro Valley will save $43,000 in spending on TREO, or at least that portion of this year's appropriation that has not yet been paid.
This change in policy was announced in a press release late yesterday.
"Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, Inc. (TREO) announces today that it is restructuring the organization’s model to allow greater access, streamlined focus and greater tools to advance economic development in Southern Arizona.
In an effort to strengthen the regionalism approach, local municipalities will no longer be charged to participate in TREO and each local jurisdiction will be invited to serve on the TREO Board of Directors."
The advantage for TREO is that now all local communities, not just the few that supported TREO, will participate. A second advantage for them is that they will be subject to less public scrutiny since they will not be taking public funds.
We surmise that the requirement from the Town of Oro Valley that TREO report on a quarterly the substantive results of its efforts in relation to Oro Valley started a bit of a "snowball." This is a requirement set forth in Council in June by Council Member Mike Zinkin. The City of Tucson, as we reported to you last week, was moving in that direction, asking TREO to substantiate the 2,200 jobs it allegedly brought to the City.
We've kicked TREO around many times durint the four years that they received Oro Valley funding. (Read our many previous postings). They've received, probably $150,000 from Oro Valley during that time. We've challenged the TREO investment because we believed them to be a poorly performing organization when it comes to bringing jobs to the region and to Oro Valley; and because they have spent our money on wasted junkets and on salaries too "rich" for any organization that runs on public money. Now, they can do as they wish. TREO is off the "public dole."
There are two organizations, MTCVB and the Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce, that continue on Oro Valley's public dole. Perhaps they should consider what TREO has done as their "model." Shouldn't the Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce be funded completely by local business? Shouldn't the travel and destination industry fund MTCVB?
As long as an organization receives public funding, that organization will receive public scrutiny. So, if an organization does not want public scrutiny then that organization should not accept money from towns. Simply put: We expect results for our money.
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4 comments:
That is exactly what TREO told the Tucson Coucil last week. When will Oro Valley stop funding TREO?
OVOT weeps.
Thanks to Council Member Zinkin for standing up to TREO and saving the town $43,000 per year!
Isn't it "interesting" that the minute TREO was mandated to substantiate their jobs claims, suddenly they opt out of public funding.
See? When you Refuse to prOduce the docuMentatioN, it's bEcause You have something to hide.
It seems that Councilmen's desire for actual facts/results from TREO was important. The public input about the unnecessary expenditures was correct. However, it seems the Mayor's message was not the right one. He should listen more carefully before speaking.
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