It looks like spring is finally arriving! The trees and flowers are in bloom, kids are back from Spring Break and the 'Hooked on Fishing' derby is just around the corner. Spring-time always signifies a lot of change and we have been reading and hearing about a lot of change in our business community, too.
Our local businesses provide financial support for our community to grow and prosper. Recently, news about the City Council’s position on changes to the Northwest Quadrant in the Four Corners Subarea has stirred up concerns about the future viability of several local businesses. Many business owners have chosen to make Maple Valley their home. These same people are creating jobs in our community as well as supporting local organizations (sports teams, non-profit groups and community organizations). It concerns me greatly that the community they made an investment in, now considers them ‘undesirable’.
Have you stopped to think about what our community would look like without local businesses? Sales taxes generated by these businesses, the jobs they provide, and the convenience for those of us that live here would all go away. Yes, traffic might be lighter because people would only come to Maple Valley to get home, but what would that do to our local economy? To continue to be a great place to live we also need to be sure that we grow smartly and provide the services our residents need and want.
Personally, I am a strong supporter of local businesses and look forward to the additional services that will be provided when Fred Meyer and the ancillary businesses open after the first of the year. I encourage you to join me in supporting our local businesses and to get more involved in letting our community leaders know that small businesses must have a strong voice in planning the right growth and development in Maple Valley.
Join me, too, in some of the great chamber events in the coming months. I look forward to seeing each of you out and about representing your businesses in our greater community!
Click here to read the Chamber's letter to Council
Added on 04/14/2011
Filed Under
Business,
President's Message by Chamber blog
