Let's shop our town first
Editor,
Our message from the Porterville Chamber is to always shop Porterville first, because spending our money locally has an economic influence, while spending it out of town really provides no local benefit.
The work to recover from the recession continues, which means we must still focus our efforts on overcoming the economic challenges before us. With the biggest shopping season of the year upon us, let’s all be reminded to join together to make a difference in Porterville through this season, and always.
While I know you’ve heard it from your chamber before, I hope to reinforce the message once again of the impact of putting your spending dollars into the community that you have chosen to work and live in.
According to market analysts, each dollar that you spend in town does the work of at least $5. A dollar spent in a Porterville business will circulate a minimum of five times through-out the local economy, but, a dollar spent out of town is gone forever.
Shopping local makes good sense for our businesses, our children, our employees, and our community. When you shop in Porterville stores, retailers collect tax dollars that go toward the local tax bill leaving less for residents to have to pay toward the cost of services. Porterville businesses employ many local residents creating jobs for you, your children, friends and neighbors.
Retailers in town are very generous to our schools, and they financially support the interests of your children and grandchildren, opening a wide range of opportunities to them through sports programs, organizations and churches.
Many local causes and good works programs also enjoy the financial and in-kind contributions of our retail establishments. We are a community that ‘takes care of itself’ and these groups rely on the long-term support of businesses in Porterville in order to exist and serve.
Retailers in Porterville — be it a local merchant or a national retailer — offer products at prices competitive to larger cities and they have a variety of merchandise to choose from. They’re also willing to search out the product you need even if it isn’t currently stocked.
Finally, you save time and gas by purchasing locally rather than driving many miles.
I encourage you to shop your business neighbors first. We can unite to make a difference in our local economy by supporting that economy. Perhaps that is the best gift we can give ourselves and community this Holiday Season.
Happy Shopping everyone — I look forward to seeing you around town.
Donnette Silva Carter
President/CEO
Porterville Chamber of Commerce
