I would like to take a moment to wish everyone a happy holiday season from the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. I encourage you to spend time with those closest to you and thank them for the contributions they have made to your life. I’m thankful for the opportunity we’ve had at the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce to make Lincoln a better place to live, work, and play. Our goal has always been to create new opportunities for existing Lincoln businesses which we believe leads to more jobs and a higher standard of living for Lincoln area residents. We believe the hard work is paying off with a vibrant economy.
The holiday season is also a time of giving and many of you will spend the next month trying to find that perfect gift. I encourage you to support your local economy and buy Lincoln first. The money you spend at retailers here in Lincoln helps boost our local sales tax base and helps our community grow. When local sales tax collections increase, it helps off-set the reliance on property tax revenues to fund all of the things a growing city needs to be successful. A shift in just a few of your purchases will lead to additional revenue for our city and promote job growth.
In addition to helping the community grow, when you buy local you also support the foundation on which all good economies are built: small business. According to the Small Business Association, small businesses have generated 64 percent of the net new jobs over the past 15 years. That’s why the Lincoln Chamber is joining forces with American Express to promote Small Business Saturday. This effort is aimed at reminding Lincoln shoppers to consider smaller, Lincoln-based businesses as a source for holiday gifts. For example: instead of ordering a new drum set from a catalog, consider stopping by a local store like Dietze Music, or instead of heading to Omaha to shop at a large national retailer, stop by Schaffer’s and see if you can make your purchase there.
There are countless other examples I could point to as ways to make more of your purchases locally this holiday season, but the theme is the same. Your money and how you spend it can make the difference in somebody else’s business.
I hope you have a happy and safe holiday season and cheers to making 2013 as successful for Lincoln businesses as this past year.
The Chamber’s mission is to improve the lives of Lincoln residents by providing increased economic opportunity and can only be accomplished together. Networking opportunities, business advocacy, and creating economic viability are critical to our success. We encourage you to become a member and help us achieve these goals for Lincoln. For more information, please contact Paul 436-2350.