government owned business
The Hometown Advantage - Reviving Locally Owned Business
This newsletter reports on efforts nationwide to stop chain store proliferation and support locally owned, independent retail businesses. Learn about land use policies and other ways that communities are bucking the "big box" retail trend and encouraging small-scale, homegrown businesses - and why this approach is proving far more beneficial to the local economy. The Hometown Advantage is a program of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR).
- Major Flaws Uncovered in Study Claiming Wal-Mart Has Not Harmed Small Business
A new and widely publicized study claims that there is no evidence that Wal-Mart has had a negative impact on the small business sector. A close inspection of the study by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, however, found fatal flaws. - Retailers (Legally) Skimming Sales Taxes Paid by Customers
Little-noticed laws in more than half the states allow retailers to keep a portion of the sales taxes they collect from shoppers. The practice is costing states over $1 billion a year and lining the pockets of large chains, notably Wal-Mart, according to an eye-opening report from Good Jobs First. - Modest Changes in Shopping Habits would Produce Big Economic Benefits, Study Finds
Shifting just 10% of consumer spending from chains to locally owned businesses would have a major impact on the West Michigan economy, according to a new study. - Big Retailers Seek Exclusive Deals on Books and Albums
Looking for that new book that everyone's talking about or the latest CD from a popular band? You may have no choice but to buy it at Amazon or Wal-Mart. Big retailers are leveraging their market power to gain exclusive access to more products, squeezing out independents and undermining the open market. - Pennsylvania Seeds a New Crop of Local Grocery Stores
A four-year-old program in Pennsylvania has helped dozens of independent grocery stores open or expand in low-income urban neighborhoods and small towns. - Sharp Rise in Shopping Center Vacancies
The number of shuttered box stores and empty strip malls has expanded dramatically over the last six months, according to data compiled by commercial real estate brokers and investment advisors. And the situation is likely to get much worse. - Seacoast Local Urges Residents to "Think Local First"
This Portsmouth-based local business network is not only changing people's shopping habits, but boosting their involvement in a wide range of community organizations and causes. - New York Requires Amazon.com to Collect Sales Tax
In a move that will help level the playing field for independent businesses, New York lawmakers adopted a policy this week requiring Amazon.com and other online retailers to collect state and local sales taxes. - More States Close Tax Loophole that Gives Chains an Edge
For years, chain retailers have exploited a loophole present in the tax laws of about half the states to escape paying billions of dollars in state income taxes. Efforts to close these loopholes have faced an uphill struggle, but the momentum may finally be shifting, thanks to research that has exposed the extent of the problem and its primary corporate beneficiaries, as well as new activism by independent business owners, who are breaking rank with powerful business groups to call for tax fairness. - Gift Cards that Keep on Giving
Soaring gift card sales have been a boon to chain retailers. By developing joint gift cards, independent businesses are beginning to redirect some of this spending to the local economy. - Favoring Local Businesses in Government Purchasing has Economic Benefits, Study Finds
Using local independent suppliers for state contracts results in three times the economic benefit of bids fulfilled through national chains, according to an Arizona study. The findings are fueling support for a bill that would give a purchasing preference to local businesses. - Survey Finds "Buy Local" Campaigns Boosted Holiday Spending at Independent Stores
Independent retailers in cities with active "Buy Local" campaigns reported much larger increases in holiday sales on average than those in cities without such campaigns. - Wal-Mart Depresses Wages, Study Finds
Retail workers are making $4.5 billion less each year due to Wal-Mart's presence, according to a new study. Meanwhile, a second study concludes that Wal-Mart could adopt a $10 minimum wage at little cost to shoppers. - Give a Gift To Our Economy: Shop Locally Owned This Holiday Season
Whether to patronize a chain or a locally owned business is not top of mind for many holiday shoppers, but it should be. It's a choice that has profound implications for our economy. - Tesco Making Landfall on West Coast
Here's what we can expect if the world's 5th largest retailer succeeds in unrolling 500 stores in California, Nevada, and Arizona. - "Local First" Spurring Shopping and Policy Changes in Utah
A two-year-old campaign dedicated to building support for locally owned businesses in Utah is having a big impact. Sales are up and a recent poll found that 3 out 4 residents want the city to adopt policies that favor local businesses. - Arizona Bans Tax Breaks for Retail Development
Independent business owners were instrumental in advocating for the new law, which will put an end to the multi-million dollar subsidies that are routinely given to chain retail projects in the Phoenix metro. - Maine Passes Law Requiring Economic Impact Studies of Big-Box Projects
The Maine legislature has given its approval to a bill that requires cities and towns to evaluate the economic effects of large-scale retail development and to approve only those projects that will not have an adverse impact on jobs, local businesses, and municipal finances. The legislation is the first of its kind in the nation. - Cal. Supreme Court Bolsters Local Authority to Control Retail
In a unanimous decision, the California Supreme Court fortified efforts by cities to limit big-box stores, favor small-scale retailers, and protect the vitality of downtowns. The ruling strongly affirms the authority of cities to enact zoning rules that regulate economic competition to achieve valid public purposes.