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Monday, April 14, 2008

Epp: Be a Yokel, Buy Local!

Well-known blogger, lawyer, columnist, and all-around agitator Todd Epp issues a call for his fellow Harrisburgers to put their money where their mouths and beds are and buy local. Evidently attracting a grocery store to town was one of the issues in the just-completed mayoral election in Harrisburg. Just south of Sioux Falls, Harrisburg faces serious competition from the Hy-Vees, Sunshines, and Wal-Marts of the big city. But my fellow optimist says it can be done, maybe even without government assistance:


Even radical local economist Mrs. Madville Times will acknowledge that there are some items you just can't get from the local stores (e.g., certain baby clothes) or can't afford on small-town wages. But every dollar you can spend in your hometown boosts those sales tax numbers and makes your town look more attractive to investors. A little personal spending on Main Street is a much better investment in economic development than tax incentives that make everyone pay for one company's benefit.

Of course, for Harrisburg, this may be a moot point. At the rate houses are going up, it may be just a few years before Harrisburg and Tea are simply swallowed up in the urban sprawl of Sioux Falls. Then Hy-Vee will plunk a new store right on Highway 115... or should I say South Minnesota Ave.?

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