Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Ladd: "New Albany Needs New Albany First."

Yesterday, we considered puzzling comments by at-large city council member Kevin Zurschmiede to the effect that when it comes to supporting organizations engaged in economic development efforts, the council wouldn't want to insult those who've been ignored for doing so little for so long, assuming it can continue avoiding a determination of who is actually doing what for whom, or not.

The following is submitted by Mike Ladd, speaking for himself as a private citizen, and not in his capacity as Executive Director of the Urban Enterprise Association.


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“We have met the enemy and he is us!” ... New Albany Needs New Albany First.

Why shouldn’t the New Albany City Council vote Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) monies for New Albany First?

Only a few months old, without full-time paid staff, with a minimal budget, this organization has demonstrated an ability to produce a high quality product. Simultaneously, it has demonstrated a want existing amongst local businesses (independent and not) to keep dollars local.

Already they have brought in a nationally recognized leader to speak about “Buy Local, Buy Independent”. They did this by finding a local sponsor. They have hosted educational discussions on various subjects featuring local businesspersons who have opened new and independent businesses. If past is prologue; these events will only grow. The topics are timely and the desire to share experiences is tangible. It is obvious local businesses are seeking the support and forum this organization provides. Finding local support, this new, completely volunteer organization has demonstrated a steady membership growth in a remarkably short period.

New Albany comes late to the table. Jeffersonville has three such buy local programs. Clarksville has its English Avenue Business Association, as well as the Green Tree Mall business association. One Southern Indiana has created a shop local program north of the river. Within the tri-county area (Jefferson County Kentucky and Clark and Floyd Counties, Indiana) there exist 101 recognized cities, towns and villages. I can’t prove it, but I would bet each of those communities has some form of local group working to keep their dollars home and bring ours into their community. Yet, New Albany has no such program of its own.

This funding request is an experiment. If it works, it creates parameters for future requests. Organizations making similar demands will have to meet the same rigid standards that NAFirst will have set; under the same exacting conditions. That is – and should be - a daunting prospect. The bar will be set high.

Functionally, project-by-project funding will not work. Too much time will pass, the group cannot do any long-range planning, and opportunities pass quickly. NAFirst has submitted a program of work, as I understand it with a proposed budget. Those are real projects. Fund their projects fully and let the seminars get underway. To be required to approach city council every time for program funding creates the exact situation that we wish to avoid. It gives control of the program to the council, not the organization.

If funding administrative costs is the issue, then remove it for the time being. Fund the organization so its projects can be carried out, at the same time, set a fair deadline by which they must succeed and then return for a second round that could include admin costs. At that time, if the product is not as advertised, don’t fund the request.

Take a chance, let’s take a walk on the weird side and do something positive. If NAFirst fails, at least we tried. If we don’t make the attempt . . . we’ve failed anyway.

Stop arguing about the route and concentrate on the destination. Let’s begin keeping our dollars in New Albany (and bring in theirs) and compete against them as hard as they compete against us.

With everything NAFirst has already accomplished, I wonder what would happen if we stopped bickering over small details and actually supported them, gave them a solid financial footing and allowed them to work their magic. Now wouldn’t that be something?

Pogo said, “We have met the enemy and he is us!” That certainly seems true in New Albany. When the next group makes a similar request, it will be under different circumstances and conditions. Then the discussion begins anew.

In the meantime . . . Get over it. Let’s stop stepping on our own feet. Let’s do this thing.

19 comments:

  1. Considering the very recent past, I assume this is satire.

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  2. How I understand it, NA1st discriminates between locally owned independent businesses and locally owned franchised businesses.

    DNA and 1SI do not make these distinctions.

    The council shouldn't fund any organization, with tax dollars, that discriminates.

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  3. I interpret this to mean that every business of any sort, local or national, chain or indie, is entitled to a parking garage at request.

    Wouldn't want to discriminate.

    "I figure the odds be 31-69" -- Frank Zappa.

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  4. If basing funding decisions on sustainable economic impact is disallowed, how can we stop at just a parking garage if requests for other assistance are made?

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  5. Rather than spend time and money on organizations that don't make any real,sustainable impacts, the city ought to be more concerned with attracting new industrial development, technology development etc and proactively working to assist local industries expand.

    Downtown and buy local is putting the cart before the horse and new albany has been without a horse since the 1960's.

    Perhaps Mayor elect Gahan and his new economic development team will finally get it

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  6. You don't know anything about economic development, methinks.

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  7. beg to differ i worked in that field way back in 1986, Niles, MI we turned an 18% unemployment rate into a 6% unemployment rate who the hell are you to question my knowledge

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  8. oh yeh dont forget 1988 Southern Indiana Chamber vice president, so before you shoot your mouth off without knowing my background stick to what you know which is ???

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  9. Settle down, EW. Why the "either/or" approach? Don't we already have 1Si diligently working to populate the exurb with jobs not yet lost to low wage/right to work countries overseas? I won't question your experience, but when you do the off-the-cuff"attack" routine about buy local organizations being ineffective, you're not coming off as well informed. If Gahan doesn't already grasp it, why did he help get NA First off the ground? Or didn't you know that?

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  10. Well bless your confounded little heart, Ecology Warrior. I'm sure you're a very knowledgeable fellow/gal.

    There are certainly many ED theories to subscribe to out there- thus, different organizations to support them.

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  11. Gahan did it for political reasons. It doesnt have to be either /or I agree all I am saying is that with limited city E.D dollars the first priority is what I mentioned. As fas as 1sI goes I wouldnt bank on them working that diligently on New Albany's behalf.

    The city needs to control its own economic Destiny, that means work at its industrial base first. 1SI prmotes the region which is fine, but the city of New Albany needs to focus on its E.D needs first. Downtown is an integral part but is not the priority

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  12. speaking of being uninformed Roger, in a recent article by economists Lusk and Norwood, "The Locavore's Dilemma", buying local amounts to rewarding inefficient local producers and the end result is a destruction of wealth.

    Buying local is protectionism and restraint of trade, I say let the free market dictate consumer choice. If local NA businesses are the best consumer choice then they will survive, why would they need an organization such as NA First to prove it?

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  13. Lusk and Norwood, writing for the Liberty Fund, a highly biased group endowed by the late Pierre Goodrich, who inherited a fortune made in utilities monopolies and large scale agribusiness.

    The article itself is a short-sighted opinion piece that doesn't come close to actual scholarship.

    I read it. Now I am "informed".

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  14. Here is just one of many reasons why Independent Businesses need Local Independent Business Alliances across our nation.
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    Amazon Inc. Declares War on Stores. How Will They Respond?

    By Jeff Milchen, December 6, 2011

    Even for critics of Amazon, and I'm certainly among them, it's jolting to see the corporation announce a promotion overtly encouraging people to spy on local stores while turning those businesses into showrooms for Amazon's profit.

    Lest this sound like exaggeration, here's Amazon's promotion. On December 10, the corporation is offering up to $15 in discounts ($5 per product) to anyone willing to scan UPC codes using Amazon's Price Check App at a local retailer and then purchase the product from Amazon within 24 hours.

    For Amazon, it's a a scheme to get more people dowloading its bar code scanning application, collect intelligence on what local stores are charging for a wide range of products (without creating a single job) and drive up sales. Amazon asks users to input the price of the item while their location tracking is enabled, stating, “With every in-store price you share, you help ensure our prices remain competitive for our customers.”

    For storefront merchants, it's an even bigger wad of spit in the eye than Amazon's avoidance of sales tax collection duties. The promotion comes just as two leading legal scholars published an article for Sales Tax Notes opining that Amazon's deals with the States of S. Carolina and Tennessee to not collect sales tax despite having a physical presence in each state may be unconstitutional (pdf).

    So how can storefront retailers respond? We invite you to a dialogue on the LinkedIn group for independent business owners and advocates (please comment to the thread we already started) and will do our best to widely publicize promising ideas.
    Please send any ideas you wish to transmit confidentially to Jeff Milchen's first name at AMIBA.net. We'd love to hear from any artists who might have ideas for creative uses of the Amazon arrows in an editorial cartoon.

    Lastly, we're investigating whether stores have any legal means of blocking transmission of their prices to Amazon Inc. and we'll add updates to this page.

    Jeff Milchen is the co-founder of the American Independent Business Alliance.

    Read more: http://www.amiba.net/resources/news-archive/amazon-scan-stores-discount#ixzz1fnxJAt5C

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  15. If multinational chains are the best consumer choice then they will survive, why would they need tax abatements and a grab bag of goodies to prove it?

    LOL

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  16. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  17. EW, Man, you sure need to read closer. I don't think Roger wrote anything that would imply that he thought 1SI was going to do anything for NA. Not in this posting or any other that I can think of.

    I'm not much. The difference between us is, I realize it. You've been "aligned" in one way or another with practically every "side" in NA and every one has eventually disavowed you. Ever wonder why?

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  18. Gahan did it for political reasons.

    EW, when's the last time you personally spoke with the mayor-elect?

    That's what I thought.

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  19. shortly after his election, why is it your business?

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