Shootin' It Straight- Government Made Me Do It

I continually see suggestions from folks insisting that government agencies should bring more "things" to our community. I've seen calls for factories, restaurants, low-income housing, skating rinks, and just about everything in between. Many locals are adamant that our elected officials are not doing enough to bring jobs, entertainment, restaurants, and other amenities to the area. While the performance of our elected officials should always be scrutinized, the idea that local government should somehow bring a McDonald's to Highway 290 is ludicrous.

Officials can, and should, actively pitch attractive opportunities to businesses in hopes of drawing them to the community. Beyond that, however, it is ultimately the business's decision whether to establish itself in our hometown. The reason we don't have a roller rink isn't the failure of a county judge, county clerk, or PVA. It simply isn't profitable, or private industry would have been on it already.

A major corporation looking to establish a distribution center would break ground tomorrow if all the details aligned with an acceptable profit margin. These companies conduct extensive research before investing. Location, transportation costs, competition, workforce availability, and local unemployment rates all factor into the decision.

There will be successful businesses opened in Jackson County. Some astute individuals will find a niche and carve out a living. Eventually, a businessman or businesswoman will identify an opportunity worth pursuing. It will happen because of opportunity, necessity, or sheer determination.

Government should neither be a stumbling block nor a blank check for business development. On any level, government shouldn't bury entrepreneurs under mountains of red tape that discourage investment. At the same time, it is neither responsible for nor should it be expected to operate private enterprise itself.

Like every local, state, and federal government, we have issues that deserve attention. The fact that our leaders haven't developed a six-field sports complex isn't one of them. If such a project is truly a viable business opportunity, someone will pursue it. If it isn't, then we have no business propping it up with taxpayer dollars.

Grants, gifts, and aid all have one thing in common: working Americans pay for every penny of them. While these things may appear to be blessings from above, there is no free lunch. Every dollar comes at a cost.

There are certainly ways local government can help maintain or move the county forward, but playing the role of a profitable businessman isn't one of them. Not one ordinance is stopping any of us from building a youth recreation center. No law is preventing someone from bringing a Red Lobster to McKee. Our relatively low land costs and taxes would likely be attractive to a company like Walmart. We don't lack these businesses because a local magistrate failed to perfect a sales pitch to Bentonville. We lack them because the people with the power to make those investments have determined they aren't profitable.

Many people voice their desire to have something new in the county, but very few have been willing to put their own money on the line to make it happen.