Strong Locally Owned Businesses Help Pacific Grove fund Services

By Ken Cuneo

Pacific Grove can provide more and better services whenever businesses are thriving and producing sales tax revenues

PG provides a variety of services to its residents. Some of these are in the form of protection. These include Police and Fire Services and EMS. These are services that PG must have and they consume a little over 50% of the Operating Budget. These activities must be available 24/7 and are staffed around the clock.

There are other services which need to be done. These can include things such as sidewalk and street repairs. Street lamps also must be replaced. Sewers have to be maintained and waste water captured and treated before reaching the bay.Delaying will mean paying more later on.

There is another group of services that improves the quality of life for our residents. These include having our Carnegie Library open more and hosting exciting programs. Our Recreation Department operates events for both Seniors and our Youth. Parks, Open Space, Recreation Trail, and Butterfly Sanctuary give residents a taste of the outdoors.

All of the above services require funding to function. I believe that whenever our local businesses are doing very well sales taxes flow into the city coffers and services benefit.

So how should the City promote local businesses? Making permitting easy and inexpensive is one way. Working together with the Chamber of Commerce, the Business Improvement District (BID) and the Economic Development Committee (EDC) the City can harness the power of local business. Local Business Owners can help out by keeping a good inventory of goods and staying open later. Property Owners particularly on Lighthouse need to invest more in their properties by fixing them up and updating wiring. This will attract businesses that will pay increased rents. The power of local business will ensure that we will always have sufficient funds to take care of all our services to the benefit of our residents. And I support this paradigm wholeheartedly. SHOP PG, IT IS GOOD FOR YOU!!