WHY SHOULD I SUPPORT DOWNTOWN?
In this increasingly global economy, keeping the hometown we love thriving gets more difficult every year. The downtown commercial district is comprised of unique businesses, either independently owned or by locally-owned franchises. These “Mom & Pop” businesses are fighting hard to stay in business in the face of competition from big box stores and giant corporate discounters.
Supporting Downtown businesses minimizes the chance of having the small historic shopping and dining district disappear. The alternative is empty storefronts, run-down streets, marginal, transient businesses and the loss of shops, restaurants and services.
Supporting a small hometown economy keeps the money flowing locally. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, from each $100 profit at a locally owned, independent business, $60 stays right in the community to help keep the downtown strong… but only $6 from the $100 profit remains in the community from national discount stores. Downtown businesses are more likely to produce local income, jobs, tax receipts, and charitable donations for the local community.
Downtown...
...is the heart of the community, and the site for government, arts, churches, and financial institutions.
...is a symbol of community economic health, partnership between the private and the public sector, local quality of life, local pride, community history
...serves as a good incubator for new small businesses – the success of tomorrow. Strips and malls are often too expensive for new entrepreneurs. Lower rents make downtown a good location.
...represents independent businesses which support local families, support local community projects such as teams and schools, keep profits in town (chain stores send profits out of town). It helps reduce sprawl by concentrating activity in one area.
...is a major employer. Often when you count the number of jobs in a community, you will find that
...infrastructure is a major public investment. Only healthy businesses in buildings assessed at full value generate taxes that give taxpayers a return on this public investment.
...revitalization protects property values in surrounding residential neighborhoods.
...rehabilitation work stimulates the local economy. Materials and labor for new commercial construction often come
from out of town.
...is an important community space, where members of all segments of the community can meet equally for parades, speeches and other community events.
...can be a tourist attraction, and is the location of a community’s unique businesses and buildings.