It is a changing world we live in and a business landscape that is always evolving. With an increase in Taxes and the cost of everything going up I wrote a letter to the editor to urge individuals to think of the “total cost” or “the real cost” of their purchases.
It follows below:
Written to the Editor of the The Capital Newspaper, Annapolis, MD it was published at the end of November l2007:
As Marylanders we face many issues such as the rising cost of homes and the possibility of an increase in sales tax.
While it may not solve these problems shopping locally and supporting local businesses may ease these problems. Local businesses support the local economy by employing your neighbors, friends, loved ones and fellow Marylanders.
Local businesses generate tax revenue and collect sales taxes. These taxes support our first responders the firefighters, police and emergency medical personal. Among many things taxes help maintain the roads we drive on as well as pay our teachers and build new schools.
We have tasked our lawmakers to provide the citizens of Maryland with the services we have come to expect and rely on. To meet our expectations they need to make choices in funding and explore ways to increase revenue. All of the choices our government makes are hard choices.
Some of these decisions have affected such things as school funding.
As the school system has limited funds to build new schools and make room for more students one of the results has been a building moratorium in a sense. Hence the abundance of fifty-five or better housing cropping up in the county. Leading to an increase in the overall cost of housing that is available to younger families. It is a simple supply and demand issue.
As people use the Internet for more and more of their purchases the result is less sales tax being collected for the state and less money being brought into the state by it’s citizens.
Our government is going to look for other ways to increase revenue to fund the services we citizens expect, such as increasing sales taxes.
While everyone wants to save money and spend less think about if your purchases are going to support the local economy and the State of Maryland.
While you may be able to save a few dollars on that purchase what will the ultimate cost of that savings be down the road; increased sales taxes, higher housing prices, one less teacher in the classroom or one less first responder available to aid in your time of need?
While this is a simplified view of everything, supporting local business is good for your friends, family loved ones and fellow Marylanders.
