And a bit more....
I have been thinking about this alot, so I will continue.....
I see several kinds of growth and expansion in our town. I will attempt to break them down into rough categories. Because I do not wish anyone to think I think growth is bad.
Jobs. this is what everyone exhorts as growth. But lets break it down. What will it cost our community to get these jobs.
Centene, AvMax, Cable Technologies, NEW . They create jobs, for their workers, and for construction, remodeling, generate tax revenue, use City services. In the long run it does not cost us to have these business. Our money stays here. Good.
The base. No argument, it brings in money. These people spend here, live here, support our community. Many stay here. Good.
Healthcare. We all need it. Huge revenue generator. Lots of construction, good paying jobs, this is an industry that has had and will have long term economic impact on Great Falls. The amount of money that leaves the community is justified. Good.
Us. Bash casino's if you wish, but remember, most of the casino's are locally owned business. They support local events, generate tax money, use city services, employ local workers. I don't know if many of you notice, but every time there is a benefit of some kind where the sponsors are listed, you can read through and see all the names of casino and bar owners who give their money to make our community better. Go up to the Russell Museum and read the Board they have up. Look at the bars and restaurants on Tenth. How many are established, family owned business that have been here for years. Down town. Walk down Central and tell me how many business are not owned by people who live here. The Murphy - McClay bldg. Johnson Hotel. The entire 100 block, Candy Masterpiece, Studio Montage, Baker Bobs. I remember that block 15 years ago. Do you?
Franchises. Subway, McDonalds, national names but owned by local people. A large portion of the money you spend there stays here.
The Big Guys. Albertsons, Target, Shopko, K-mart The whole Marketplace, Rexs, Most of the mall. When you go into Wal-Mart (yes, you knew where this was going didn't you!) and buy something only a tiny bit of Your Money is going to stay in our community. I'm going to throw out some numbers here, they are not accurate so don't jump all over me. Say you get your paycheck from the ad agency you work at. Spend $100.00 at one of the above. Lets say 20% is going to local workers. Lets give another 15% to utilities, rent and taxes. Give 40% to actual cost before markup. So $25.00 of your money is profit. Gets divided up between corporate holdings and Martha Stewart etc. Only $25.00. But it actually costs us more. It leaves our community. It doesn't get spent at a local business ever again.
Spend $100.00 at Eklunds. They most likely will have to charge a higher price for the same thing, or make less profit. So good old Cal ends up with $20.00. And goes down to Bert and
Ernies, spends the money on dinner and a Pigs Ass Porter. B&E pays the waitress, cook, beer supplier, (local people) and the owner makes a couple bucks. Now his wife is mad at him cuz he spends to much time at the restaurant, so he takes a part of his daily profit down the street to Candy Masterpiece and buys some of those awsome chocolate cherries in a nice heart shaped box. Angie has been feeling kinda down lately so she goes over to Studio Montage and gets a new hairstyle with some of the money she made off of all the cherries she has been selling. The stylest runs down to the Manhattan Coffee house in Times sq on her break and gets a latte.
The owner of the coffee house needs new window lettering and signs to advertise the name change of her business so she calls the ad agency where you work and around and around and around we go.
But a new Wal-Mart will mean more jobs, you say. I say let us consider those jobs. Are they skilled workers? College educated? Now don't take that wrong. People without skills need jobs. But I think our focus should be on QUALITY. How many youth in this town will stay here to work at Wal-mart. How many college educated sons and daughters of this town are going to return here to work at Wal-mart.And that is going to be in part two, where I believe I am going to piss some people off.
I see several kinds of growth and expansion in our town. I will attempt to break them down into rough categories. Because I do not wish anyone to think I think growth is bad.
Jobs. this is what everyone exhorts as growth. But lets break it down. What will it cost our community to get these jobs.
Centene, AvMax, Cable Technologies, NEW . They create jobs, for their workers, and for construction, remodeling, generate tax revenue, use City services. In the long run it does not cost us to have these business. Our money stays here. Good.
The base. No argument, it brings in money. These people spend here, live here, support our community. Many stay here. Good.
Healthcare. We all need it. Huge revenue generator. Lots of construction, good paying jobs, this is an industry that has had and will have long term economic impact on Great Falls. The amount of money that leaves the community is justified. Good.
Us. Bash casino's if you wish, but remember, most of the casino's are locally owned business. They support local events, generate tax money, use city services, employ local workers. I don't know if many of you notice, but every time there is a benefit of some kind where the sponsors are listed, you can read through and see all the names of casino and bar owners who give their money to make our community better. Go up to the Russell Museum and read the Board they have up. Look at the bars and restaurants on Tenth. How many are established, family owned business that have been here for years. Down town. Walk down Central and tell me how many business are not owned by people who live here. The Murphy - McClay bldg. Johnson Hotel. The entire 100 block, Candy Masterpiece, Studio Montage, Baker Bobs. I remember that block 15 years ago. Do you?
Franchises. Subway, McDonalds, national names but owned by local people. A large portion of the money you spend there stays here.
The Big Guys. Albertsons, Target, Shopko, K-mart The whole Marketplace, Rexs, Most of the mall. When you go into Wal-Mart (yes, you knew where this was going didn't you!) and buy something only a tiny bit of Your Money is going to stay in our community. I'm going to throw out some numbers here, they are not accurate so don't jump all over me. Say you get your paycheck from the ad agency you work at. Spend $100.00 at one of the above. Lets say 20% is going to local workers. Lets give another 15% to utilities, rent and taxes. Give 40% to actual cost before markup. So $25.00 of your money is profit. Gets divided up between corporate holdings and Martha Stewart etc. Only $25.00. But it actually costs us more. It leaves our community. It doesn't get spent at a local business ever again.
Spend $100.00 at Eklunds. They most likely will have to charge a higher price for the same thing, or make less profit. So good old Cal ends up with $20.00. And goes down to Bert and
Ernies, spends the money on dinner and a Pigs Ass Porter. B&E pays the waitress, cook, beer supplier, (local people) and the owner makes a couple bucks. Now his wife is mad at him cuz he spends to much time at the restaurant, so he takes a part of his daily profit down the street to Candy Masterpiece and buys some of those awsome chocolate cherries in a nice heart shaped box. Angie has been feeling kinda down lately so she goes over to Studio Montage and gets a new hairstyle with some of the money she made off of all the cherries she has been selling. The stylest runs down to the Manhattan Coffee house in Times sq on her break and gets a latte.
The owner of the coffee house needs new window lettering and signs to advertise the name change of her business so she calls the ad agency where you work and around and around and around we go.
But a new Wal-Mart will mean more jobs, you say. I say let us consider those jobs. Are they skilled workers? College educated? Now don't take that wrong. People without skills need jobs. But I think our focus should be on QUALITY. How many youth in this town will stay here to work at Wal-mart. How many college educated sons and daughters of this town are going to return here to work at Wal-mart.And that is going to be in part two, where I believe I am going to piss some people off.
posted by a-fire-fly at 10:30 AM
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