Buy local

Dear Editor:

I think everyone wants to have the best for our county. We probably all wish that our county had more of what the larger counties have. But, do you know that where we spend our money has a direct effect on how successful our county is?

The larger counties like Alachua and Duval do not need our money, but a lot of us feel that we can buy better and cheaper in these counties. I found out recently that a bigger county does not always mean cheaper price. I needed four tires for my truck, so I felt I needed to check every tire dealership in Alachua County. After checking I came back to Bradford County and bought those tires $200 cheaper. I later came back and bought a new truck right here, and it was cheaper.

The point is that the money we spend in this county comes back as tax revenue to help keep our county running. None of the money spent elsewhere comes back to us. We should make every effort to spend local. This does not apply to just individuals, but businesses should do the same. And how many of the city and county projects are being done with local labor and contractors? 

I think if we make an effort we will all see improvements in our county. This is not a new concept and several counties have tried this and it works. Local is better. Buy local!

Wayne Blankenship