Indeed the members are extremely important, but most the time I have seen people say that is when they are talking to someone who pretty much has the thinking that "tracker rules are stupid". So it usually fits.
I know that at the tracker I am at we DEFINITELY appreciate our good members. But at the huge sites I cant say either way really. :shrug: . I would assume that at a tracker with 100,000 members it is more likely for staff to think that any one member is expendable. Compared to a tracker with a couple thousand members at least.