Keep your money in town

The Christmas season means many things to all of us.  Being with family.  Celebrating the return of a loved one from military duty overseas, perhaps.  Reaching out to the less fortunate in our communities to ensure a happy Christmas morning and meals throughout the holidays, even.  Most of all, we collectively place the birth of Jesus at the center of our celebrations, as we should.

The season also means that we spend more money in a few weeks–on gifts, decorations, giving, food and drink and more–than we do for most of the rest of the year.  Many of us go out of our way to select unique gifts for friends, family and/or adopted families, that reflect our endearment to them, so on and so forth.  Money flows like a swift river from one hand to another.

Here is a public service reminder about where your dollars go:  when you spend them in Mississippi, they create sales tax that is paid to the state.  Some of your dollars come back to your community in the form of reimbursements. This money helps provide essential services to your community–police, fire and emergency services.  Cities and towns who are good stewards of your tax money maximize the use of these dollars and constantly improve infrastructure, such as streets and sidewalks and water and sewer.

Furthermore, when you spend a dollar in your local municipality, you are keeping jobs and business and commerce here, too.  You are fostering economic independence for people of all ages and backgrounds.  Your community improves, along with your quality of life.

Remember this before you click that mouse and send your money away, never to return.