COEUR d'ALENE - Another Coeur d'Alene organization has come out against the recall effort.

The Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce, following on the heels of several other foundations and associations, announced Thursday in a press release by its board of directors that it opposes the attempt to oust City Council members Mike Kennedy, Woody McEvers Deanna Goodlander and Mayor Sandi Bloem.

The officials have done nothing unethical or illegal to warrant a recall, the release states.

"The reasons cited for recall in the petitions flied by RecallCdA meet none of those criteria," it said. "Targeting individuals for recall because of a difference of opinion is not an appropriate or valid use of the recall mechanism."

The chamber has around 1,200 members.

One of its missions, according to its website, is to strengthen the economic climate of the Coeur d'Alene area. The release states the recall effort could hurt the region's economy.

"We believe that a business seeking to relocate or expand in the Coeur d'Alene area requires commitment and certainty on the part of local government. The mere perception of uncertainty due to this recall effort, particularly when based only on disagreement, could be enough to cause a business to delay plans or simply look elsewhere,"stated the letter, signed by Darin Hayes, chair of the chamber board and Steve Wilson, chamber president. "The same could be said for any major event or tourism initiative considering the Coeur d'Alene area as a venue."

The chamber is the latest local group to officially oppose the recall effort launched April 5 by the citizen group RecallCdA. The Coeur d'Alene police and fire associations and library foundation came out against it, as have The North Idaho Building Contractors Association, Coeur d'Alene Association of Realtors and Downtown Association.

News of the chamber's announcement didn't surprise RecallCdA organizer Frank Orzell.

While downtown and its businesses have benefited from the targeted incumbents' decision making, he said, their stances on the issue don't speak to the entire populace's will.

"They're known as being in favor of the mayor and the status quo," Orzell said. "These groups do not represent the total population of Coeur d'Alene. Our position remains, let the people decide. It is a vote of confidence."

Much of the downtown, including the chamber building, sits inside a Lake City Development Corp. urban renewal boundary. Urban renewal is another point of contention with recall organizers, who don't believe LCDC should allocate $11.5 million to the McEuen Field project without a public advisory vote on the project.

"We are still with the people," Orzell said.

Coeur d'Alene Tribe Chairman Chief Allan issued a letter Thursday in support of the incumbents, who "have made the difficult decisions that have moved the City of Coeur d'Alene in the right direction."

"Disagreement and differences in opinion are natural in politics no matter where you go and compromise on both sides is necessary," Allan wrote. "The democratic process has checks and balances already in place for unhappy constituents - they're called elections."