One of the great things about living in Carlsbad is that the city has so many local options to shop, dine, and play.
If you’ve ever spent an afternoon at the State Street Farmers’ Market – where people catch up over tasty food, vendors talk about their products with passion, and children dance to live music – you’ll know it trumps a trip to a grocery store to buy imported avocados.
There’s something really special in knowing about where what you buy comes from, who produced it, and having a relationship with the people who are selling it.
Why buy local? Local businesses are owned by people who live in the community and are more invested in the community’s future. Shopping at local businesses creates more local jobs. While chain stores mostly create positions for cashiers and clerks, local businesses hire accountants, graphic designers and many other positions that online retailers centralize at their corporate headquarters. Local businesses tend to pay higher wages to their employees and they also spend money at other local businesses. That means by buying local, you help create jobs for your neighbors, contribute to improved public infrastructure, and invest in your community.
“Shopping locally ensures your tax dollars are reinvested in the community. Sales tax revenue the city collects from goods purchased in Carlsbad is used to fund city services we all rely on, from fire and police to parks and libraries,” said Kevin Pointer, Management Analyst for the City of Carlsbad in a statement. “Shopping locally is one way to ensure a sound fiscal resiliency for Carlsbad.”
The sales tax rate in Carlsbad is eight percent; one dollar of every $100 spent at a local business is received by the City and deposited in the City’s General Fund. The General Fund pays for safety services (police and fire), library and arts, parks and recreation, development services, street maintenance, and other general city services.
For the fiscal year that ended on June 30, the total General Fund revenue for Carlsbad was $148.6 million; of that amount sales tax revenue was $35.2 million, or 24 percent. The largest economic drivers in the city are auto sales, restaurants, apparel stores, department stores and miscellaneous retail. Together, they generate approximately 31 percent of the total sales tax revenue received by the City.
So it’s safe to say that the benefits of buying local far outweigh the convenience of buying from a big-box store. When you shop in your community, you’re making a choice to help keep your city vibrant and thriving.
Americans plan to spend on average $1,175 this holiday season, a 12 percent jump over last year, according to Rubicon Project’s Holiday Consumer Pulse Poll. However, a surprising 22% of shoppers do not plan to shop-in store at all this year. We urge you to take a different approach and seek out your fellow chamber members on Small Business Saturday (takes places on Nov. 26) and throughout the holiday season, meet your neighbors and fully integrate your values in your purchasing decisions.