An Enduring Voice
Recently stepping down after 11 years as President & CEO of the Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce, Dave Perry also served as publisher and editor of The Explorer in Northwest Tucson for three years prior to joining the Chamber.
On July 26, Dave was made a “Lifetime Member” of the Chamber – an appropriate honor for this long-time supporter of the OV community.
The Chamber Fire
Dave Perry
Dave headed the Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce from 2011 to 2022. He and Leah Noreng were at the Chamber office when the building caught fire March 21, heavily damaging the structure and destroying much of the Chamber’s contents.
“I was looking for some old papers, and suddenly my colleague and I smelled smoke. We went to the storage room, and there was a wall of flames. For years I had fire extinguishers serviced, but in the moment, I forgot about them.”
Western Newspaperman
Dave worked for 29 years at several newspapers in Wyoming, holding “high profile positions.” He was publisher and editor of a 5-day daily newspaper in Wyoming for 12 years before moving to OV.
When he took over as editor of The Explorer, OV’s local newspaper had a circulation of 45,000 readers and was distributed for free as an ad-supported publication.
At its high point, The Explorer had more than 20 employees and a nine-person newsroom working under Dave. “It was a vibrant product.” Then the recession, and a changing newspaper environment, took their toll.
A Unique Penchant
Dave has always loved sports. He recalls that after getting cut three times from the basketball team in high school, he had to find a new angle. Writing about sports proved to be the ticket. About that time, the Watergate scandal of the early 1970s inspired him to pursue a degree in journalism.
Surprisingly, one of Dave’s favorite things to do as a newspaperman is to write obituaries. He estimates that he has written over 5000 in his career.
“People think that’s morbid, but it’s actually the most rewarding. People care about their loved one’s story.”
Local News, Digital Age
While “communities need information,” Dave observes that newspapers have yet to find a way to be viable and profitable in the Digital Age.
“When you go from print to online, you’re going from dollars to dimes,” he said. “That’s not enough money to hire the reporters, editors and photographers who can generate consistent, strong content.”
While he notes that more of the discussion has moved online since the pandemic, the discourse continues. “OV is a very involved population. I’ve been to meetings with hundreds of local residents. People care about OV.”
Dave Perry – Lifetime Member of OV Chamber, and Eric Renaud, Chairman of the Board, Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce
Internal Revenue
Dave continues to write regularly on a freelance basis about the local government. “I like explaining the issues and showing that no one is right or wrong.”
He points out that much of the tension in OV surrounds development.
OV does not levy a property tax to operate the municipal government. Thus, while growth may bring about an uptickin sales tax revenues, increases in property values do not directly contribute to the city coffers.
“For example, we love public safety in Oro Valley,” he said. “But where does that $20 million a year come from? It has to come from economic activity within the community.”
Insider Picks
Dave likes to frequent Stacks Book Club, the Friends of Oro Valley Bookstore, and – in particular — the bookstore at the National Parks Store. “That’s a real gem, everyone should visit.”
He is also an avid cyclist: “OV is the best place to ride a bicycle I’ve ever lived.” He points to the wide shoulders on our roads, the detached pathways of The Loop, and the equable climate, for making OV a year-round biker’s paradise.
Dave’s favorite restaurants include Flavor of India, Saffron, El Charro (“a classic”), and La Hacienda.
The Future of OV
Dave’s number one concern about the future of OV: “How do we sustain the quality of services that we all want while protecting open space, views, and things like that.
“You can’t stop growing. Communities either grow or recede. There’s no standing still. How do we want to grow? Can we develop the kind of revenue we need for police, and parks, and support for seniors? It’s a balancing act. We are always trying to find that balance.”
By Tom Ekman, J.D., M.Ed
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