Mayor Timothy D. Leavitt of Vancouver, Washington and his local colleagues remind citizens to support local economy, jobs and public services though buying from local businesses. Eight local mayors, including Ridgefield mayor Ron Onslow, from cities within Clark County signed a proclamation encouraging residents to spend their shopping dollars locally.
“Our community’s health largely depends on shopping here and supporting local jobs and businesses. That sales tax we pay on our purchases supports police and fire departments, road maintenance and the general services of our local governments. Your mayors are allied in our view that supporting local business is really in the best interest of all our residents,” said Leavitt. “By spending dollars locally we maximize job creation and help strengthen the economic vitality of our communities,” he continued.
The Chamber notes that each year, Clark County retailers lose $915 million dollars in sales to out-of-state retailers located in Oregon where there is no sales tax. “We could boost our local economy significantly by shopping at home,” said Chamber CEO/President Kelly Parker. The loss in local sales results in a loss of an estimated 5,500 jobs locally. The out-of-state sales also results in a loss to the community of $15 million in local sales tax.
“As a community, we can make a tremendous positive difference in our local economy by choosing wisely where we shop,” Parker said.
