Posted: 12/09/2012 01:03:22 AM PST
Shop local and support your
community.
That is the message Vacaville leaders are passing on, emphasizing the
importance of maintaining a strong, thriving local economy.
"Shopping locally not only supports the city in terms of sales tax revenues,
but it also supports our entire city in that ... (dollars spent) on local
businesses creates jobs, which, in turn, creates more spending," explained Mark
Mazzaferro, spokesman for the city of Vacaville and its economic development
representative. "Pretty soon, it's a nice network of support."
Bob Vollmer, head of the Downtown Vacaville Business Improvement District,
agreed. Shopping locally means keeping tax revenues at home, he said, which
keeps the economy going, local businesses in
business and so on.
The DVBID executive director quoted an E Magazine article by Tim Mitchell to
illustrate the phenomenon:
"A dollar spent at a locally owned store is usually spent six to 15 times
before it leaves the community. From $1, you create $5 to $14 in value within
that community," Mitchell wrote. "Spend $1 at a national chain store, and 80
percent of it leaves town immediately."
Vollmer said revenues from shopping locally have helped to keep the downtown
area vibrant.
"Over the last three years, we've sustained a 9 percent increase in sales tax
revenue," he said. "Our vacancy rate downtown ... is 1 percent, which is great."
That, he pointed out, is what can be accomplished by shopping locally in an
economic
downturn.
On a regional scale, shopping close to home is integral to a community more
than ever with the loss of redevelopment funding, impacts from state and federal
budget cuts and more, advised Sandy Person with the Solano Economic Development
Corporation. The trickle-down effect of local spending not only keeps businesses
going, she said, but it also pays for things like public safety services and
other resources a community needs.
It's a good sign that retail businesses have not dropped off in Solano
County, she continued, and that auto sales are returning after scant sales
numbers a few years back.
But does Vacaville have everything its residents need? And is shopping
locally cost-effective?
Mazzaferro said the city strives to encourage a diverse array of businesses
to come to Vacaville and will continue to do so. Right now, there's a little bit
of everything -- from hotels to retail, restaurants to auto. As for cost, he
believes shopping near home is somewhat of a bargain. Consider the money saved
from gas not spent to travel elsewhere, and time saved, too, he said.
As for Vollmer, he thinks Vacaville, especially the downtown area, is rich in
what it provides to the community.
"We have 25 restaurants in downtown Vacaville and all the entertainment you
want," he said, ticking off live music, seasonal events like the Halloween
Stroll and the farmers market, and more.
The longtime Vacaville resident added that he'd love to help welcome more new
businesses to the downtown area and wishes it could somehow grow to accommodate
anyone who wants to open there.
"Come down here," he urged. "There's always something going on."
Follow Staff Writer Kimberly K. Fu at Twitter.com/ReporterKimFu.
