The Athens Area Chamber of Commerce recently released the breakdown of report card scores for Athens-Clarke County commissioners, which rank the degree to which they are business friendly.

John Barrow (District 4-D), who represents most of campus, received the lowest grade of 39 percent.

But Barrow does not view himself as unfriendly toward business.

“I support the public transit system, that’s a direct benefit for the business community, they help get people to and from work,” he said. “They didn’t rate our support for the airport. They don’t care about those things.”

Larry McKinney, president of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, said Barrow is known for trying to get the most bang for the buck.

“That buck is for the government … that’s where the buck seems to matter,” he said.

“You can’t do something at the expense of community that will affect your neighbor,” said Barrow, in response.

The criteria used to choose votes was based on the following factors: increased cost of doing business, the possibility of weakening property rights, increase in governmental bureaucracy or inefficiency and whether the decision would be an additional burden to the business.

Many of the 49 votes analyzed by the chamber dealt with zoning issues.

Other issues such as the sidewalk cafe program and rental registration, however, proved to be divisive and pertinent to the business community.

The sidewalk cafe program approved by the commission for the downtown area requires business owners to pay for outdoor seating on sidewalks.

Barrow voted for this measure because he said there has always been a fee, and he made efforts to gain approval from downtown businesses.

“It seems some businesses don’t know what others are up to. This is a program downtown businesses approved,” he said.

But McKinney said he didn’t agree with Barrow’s vote.

“It increased the cost of doing business for owners,” McKinney said, arguing the sidewalks had been paid for a long time ago.

When Barrow vacates his seat this year to run for U.S. Congress, Blake Tillery (R) and Alice Kinman (D) will vie for his seat and face similar issues.

“I think sidewalk cafes add to the atmosphere of downtown. I would like to keep them there,” Tillery said.

Kinman was unavailable for comment.

An issue to expand wastewater treatment plants for future wastewater treatment was supported by both the chamber and ACC commissioners, including Barrow.

“He voted for it. And we would like to give him credit where credit is due,” McKinney said.