b'C H A P T E R SI XDon Poyant explained in 2002, it has always gone into the general fund. In FY 2002, the tax yielded $932,517, or 3 xhpercent of overall income.Her 1988 success in winning approval of the hotel/motel tax did not mean that heavy weather had cleared for Mrs. Ecker. In a later year, while her husband was driving them down from Boston, she read an article in The Chronicle reporting that the Chamber of Commerce wanted to draw on the new taxs proceeds to promote tourism, increasing the percentage each year. Needless to say, recalls Debby Ecker, I hit the roof! This was exactly the opposite of what we had in mind.Maybe the dollars could not be dedicated to buying land, but they certainly should not go undesignated into the general fund.Realizing the scope of this Chamber tactic, she suited up to go on offense. This time things were different. The selectmen did not treat me kindly, she says,and supported the Chambers proposal.Once again, back to Town Meeting. And once again, Moderator Pennypacker allowed her to take the floor,Jay Stahl was chairing the Chameven though she still was not a voting resident. ber of Commerce when Mrs. Mrs. Ecker reminded listeners that directEcker rolled out a summary of appropriation to an outside organization suchher economic study data.He as the Chamber was not allowed under statebrought associates into a meeting with her about her findings on the law. A selectman then scratched out an amend threat of over-development.ment favoring the Chamber and bypassing theThe Chroniclerestriction, and the measure passed. Ever since, the Chamber has received a chunk of town funds ($81,500 in FY 2003) for its purposes. At any rate, baptized by these skirmishes with local opponents, Mrs. Ecker was fully prepared to energize an even broader assignment.Chathams Economy: Under the MicroscopeWhen Town Planner Margo Fenn opted to accept a job at the Cape Cod Commission in 1991, Bradenton Floridas planner, Margaret Swanson, was named to succeed her. Reporting for duty that July, she immediately faced lingering problems triggered by the North Beach breakthrough of 1987. That made it impossible for her to address a task broached when she was first interviewed: Chathams need to draft a long range plan (LRP).88'