RE: ebusiness and a free lunch

[Steve Cooke <scooke@uidaho.edu>]

Robb,
 There is also the issue that email purchases are not required to pay sales 
taxes in Idaho. These taxes support state and local public services that we 
have decided are important. These public services include the highways that 
the ebusinesses need to deliver their goods. Should local business be 
placed at a further price disadvantage to ebusiness while the latter free 
ride on the tax supported public services?
Steve Cooke

Greetings and Happy New Year.

Last week the Spokesman Review had an interesting editorial about 
supporting
local businesses.  That editorial seems even more relevant to a small
community like Moscow.  The premise was that local businesses support local
activities and with the loss of customers to mail order and internet
commerce they will have reduced capacity to contribute time and money to 
the
community.

I think this is a valid observation and I know first hand that Moscow and
Latah County businesses are the ones that we most depend on to support our
local needs. These local businesses are very generous with time and money
and I believe this can be directly correlated to the fact that Moscow is 
one
of the finest small communities in the country.

I don't recall funds or volunteer time flowing back into the Palouse from
Amazon.com or eToys.  Every time one of us goes on-line and spends money, 
it
not only hurts our local businesses, it also has an adverse impact on our
community.  Money flowing out of our community rarely comes back.

This is not to say that one should not shop by mail order or on the
internet -- we are all sensitive about the cost of goods and services.  But
the next time you shop on-line, by mail, or outside the local area, please
consider the true price of that decision.

Robb Parish
Moscow-Latah County Economic Development Council