Just Shop Local

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”.  A quote by someone we all know and love, Walt Disney. And so true!   So, this is it! A brand New Year – with New Year Resolutions! So mine is best described by Alex Morritt, “New Year-A New Chapter, new verse, or just the same old story?  Ultimately, we write it. The choice is ours.” So, this year I make a choice to inform and make our community a better place and try very hard not to complain but to find simple answers for the challenges we all face! Try Local First this year.

Shopping Local Matters

Let’s start with all those new taxes and fees.   Remember your local Auto Dealer did not vote for these, neither did you but they have implemented  them nonetheless. So, how can we make the best of this? Well, remember to shop local. For instance, you can go to Idaho and buy a vehicle from a Dealer that will not participate in these taxes and maybe you will save a bit of money-less than $125 (by the time you make the trip-I think nothing will be gained).   That Dealer will not contribute to the schools in Oregon, that Dealer will not support one local sports team, or feed the hungry locally, or pay for scholarships to local colleges, or provide for a new Flagpole at the Main Street Park. Well, you get the idea. We are all in this together and we need your support to continue to have a healthy business community.

Say No to Automation and Yes to Local

While yes, raising the minimum wage has helped some, it has also put others out of business and made businesses review costs and implement “automated” check stands, etc.   This means a loss in local jobs…this only gets worse if you go online and shop. Yes there are certain things that maybe only the dot coms of the world can bring to you but make a commitment in 2020 to “Shop Local”.  The job you save may be you neighbors!