One of the most important things a citizen can do for their city is to support local businesses. This is especially true now that the GOP tax bill has been passed, a bill that gives a large tax break to big businesses, making it even more difficult for small businesses to be successful, according to the Washington Post.
In Salt Lake City smaller businesses are sometimes harder to notice and thus are more difficult to support. For sample, here we have City Creek Center and the Gateway mall. But even Gateway mall, a great mall with one of the only Hot Topics and Victoria Secrets in the City, has been thrown under the bus for several years.
Driving down 1300 South or State Street, I pass so many little book stores and bakeries. They don’t get much recognition or business because of the richer and well-advertised stores like Smith’s and Barnes and Noble. But if you take the time to go into those stores, you can see that they have great deals and one-of-a-kind finds. How are people supposed go into business and try to be successful if all of their hard work and great ideas aren’t recognized?
Living in a small town is a little nicer because smaller businesses have less competition. Small towns, at least my hometown Tooele, make it a point to give plenty of advertising to local businesses. For example, a little Greek restaurant in my town called Dimitiri’s has been in business as long as I can remember. And our local newspaper always highlights local businesses events.
But even in small towns it is difficult to keep mom and pop shops in business. The only book store in town shut down after two years, but it was a great book store and the owner knew me by name. Many store fronts on Main Street are usually empty. Even our beloved candy store, Sweet Sally’s, ran out of business. Now I’m just hoping the only antique store in town can last long enough for me to pick up a tea set.
Here’s a New Years resolution for all of us millennials: once a month, drive around town, find a new small business and buy one thing from them. And when a bill is proposed that will affect the economy, or anything really, read up on it and take 10 minutes to call your senators and leave a message, giving your opinion. Things won’t change unless you make them.
I also have a couple tips for small business owners themselves. Try advertising in high school papers and on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook and Twitter are free for the most part, and high school advertisement spaces can cost as low as $10, and they get passed around to every student in the school.
The point of the GOP tax bill is to simplify the tax code and provide big tax cuts for Americans. However, the bill does not make the tax code simpler at all, if anything it makes it more complicated. This should be evident by its near 500 pages that senators weren’t able to sign reading for the time to vote arrived. The tax bill also won’t provide tax cuts to the middle class, the majority of America, what a surprise.