Shop Suffolk first

Published 7:52 pm Monday, February 2, 2009

No one will argue that Americans are spending less than they were at this time last year. The reasons differ, though, from fear and anxiety to the lack of excess cash to which many families became accustomed.

Although there seems to be motivation in political huddles to repair the worn economy, even with a swift approval of President Barack Obama’s stimulus plan, the results are days and months away.

Realizing that times aren’t going to get better overnight, residents of Suffolk ought to, at the very least, spend their money locally. Doing so keeps those tax dollars in our city. When it comes time for the city to reduce its spending, perhaps the damage delivered to its residents and organizations isn’t as severe.

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The city of Suffolk has already asked for its department heads to develop plans for ways to reduce their budgets. This is a sound management approach in bad times. However, how much better would our city be if its residents shopped Suffolk first before heading to one of the bigger shopping malls or restaurants outside its city limits?

Next time you are about to make a purchase, dine out, or just plan a day of shopping, consider if Suffolk businesses can provide you those same services or goods.

Shopping locally keeps money locally. Considering that money is no longer growing on trees in Suffolk, let’s try to keep as much of it in our city as we can.