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Letter to the editor: Economic choice

Posted on October 2, 2008October 2, 2008 by Staff

So the local captains of commerce are getting pumped up about dropping an airport in some rural community. Once again we are faced with a choice between two different economic approaches.

On the one hand, you have sustainable, local small business-based economic development that provides the steady backbone of local economies. From our vantage point, we can easily foresee a future in which commerce is restricted by escalating fuel costs. This makes local businesses essential for our future, especially local food production and processing. It also means less air travel.

On the other hand, you have the bigger-is-better, glamorous big-business model that excites the movers & shakers and is taught in most corporate university planning and economic programs. This status quo model is basically blinded to the steady benefits of a locally rooted economy by the excitement of economic big-game hunting and the lure of the big score. Unfortunately, our rookie Orange County Economic Development director Brad Broadwell, fresh in from out-of-state, is in this camp.

This is where the airport fits in – the dream of large economic action, corporate big bucks and the Big Game. No concern for a future of less & more-expensive fuel. No concern for the integrity of local communities. No concern for a future in which rural land around the Chapel Hill-Carrboro urban center will be more valuable than gold as a food-producing resource.

Mark Marcoplos
Chapel Hill

1 thought on “Letter to the editor: Economic choice”

  1. ManWeaver says:
    October 2, 2008 at 3:20 pm

    I think the new airport will bring a lot of benefit to the area. Apparently, the Chancellor agrees. Seems like the only thing left to discuss is where to put it. I hope they get started on it soon!

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