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Why not both?

Posted on January 28, 2010 by Staff

I would think everyone who wants a solid and sustainable future for Carr-boro would support an expansion and diversification of the local economy. This discussion, in its latest incarnation, has state Sen. Ellie Kinnaird advocating for a Carrboro Costco and some local entrepreneurs and citizens decrying the desire for such a thing here.

I’m having a hard time understanding why we can’t have both.

Many have noted that the county is bleeding money in lost revenue when Orange County (including Carrboro) shoppers leave to shop the big-box stores in neighboring counties (you know who you are). Why should our county lose this revenue? Why should Carrboro lose this revenue?

Yes, there will be some competition with local merchants, just as a new local merchant competes with the existing merchants. And it is true that national and regional retailers remove a greater percentage of their revenue from the local economy than do local retailers, but surely it is better to get a percentage of that dollar rather than none, and to get jobs for local residents and reduce highway miles driven by shoppers.

None of these points, on either side, is new. I too would love to see local entrepreneurs supply all of our needs in a six-block walk from my house, but I can’t see the value to the whole of Carrboro of standing on convictions that push an ever-increasing and disproportionate tax burden on residents, especially those who can least stand it and who can use the jobs the most. The continued absence of these retail locations means many, many, many people will continue to leave Carrboro, to leave Orange County, to shop. How many of those dollars come back to our local economy?

Jack Haggerty
Carrboro

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