Craig Daily Press / Business beat: Help promote change in Moffat County

Archive for Monday, April 20, 2009

April 20, 2009

Bryce Jacobson, Business Beat

Bryce Jacobson's "Business Beat" appears Mondays in the Craig Daily Press. E-mail him at bjacobson@craigdailypress.com

I am impressed at the engagement of the citizenry of Craig and Moffat County throughout this past week.

Citizens who were concerned about government and/or the actions taken by government.

Two instances of this occurred with a full house Tuesday at the Craig City Council chambers for Sen. Michael Bennet's visit to Craig, and a day later, hundreds of people participated in the Tax Day Tea Party protest at the Moffat County Courthouse.

Usually, this space is filled with news about individual businesses, but this week, I have some thoughts about business in Moffat County in general.

At Wednesday's tea party, I had the opportunity to visit with one of our county commissioners, Tom Gray.

The way I understood Gray's point of view of the tea party was to say that the people who were assembled at the courthouse were there to say that the national government should stop spending and to stay out of the business of fixing the economy.

Gray is definitely a free market supporter. So, I got to thinking, one way that those gathered there that day and the rest of the citizens of Moffat County can get involved and work on change is to visit with the county commission to root for change here locally, in Moffat County.

If one or all of our commissioners agree that the government should not stand in the way of the free market, nor assist the free market, then they surely would be willing to approve, and if not approve at least consider, a change in how they do business.

I urge the commissioners, and you the citizens, to begin the conversation today regarding the operations of county government.

Come to the table to discuss what an appropriate reserve is to have in place for the future of Moffat County, what services absolutely have to be provided, where savings can be had, and determine if there should be a county manager, etc.

At day's end, maybe the solution will be a property tax refund, maybe it will be a decrease in property taxes for businesses based on the number of employees employed, and quite possibly it could be a conversation that determines whether everything that the Moffat County Commission does as stewards of our money is appropriate.

I don't think anyone can deny that lowering taxes can stimulate the economy; I don't think that many people will dispute that there are efficiencies that can be had at the local county level that will allow more money to stay in businesses and property owners' hands.

Narrow the focus, start change here.

At the end of the day, if this column does nothing else than spur conversation, I will deem it a success.

20 April 2009 at 10:32 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

DONTTREADONME (Anonymous) says…

Bryce what your saying is true but we have to start at the top at this moment or we will not have a community to fix here is one example
Bill to forbid gold mining in US HR 699
Posted April 6th, 2009 by galtgulch
<<<” Mining Gold versus Buying Gold ( until the Gov. shuts it down)

It is clear that the bankers want to keep the debt based system in place and a threat to that system is for the people to be able to acquire real money in the form of gold. One way historically to do that was to go out and find your own gold. The Mining Law of 1872 and the Mineral Estate Grant of 1866 provides a vehicle for the average person to prospect for and stake a claim to mine gold. There is now a concerted effort by some in congress to undermine those laws. One can only conjecture if the real forces behind it are the bankers. The Rahall bill HR 699 currently working its way through congress would effectively shut down all small scale mining and eventually all large scale mining in the U. S. Here is a link to a discussion on the ICMJ forum about HR699 along with an excerpt. http://www.icmj.com/artic….

Rahall Proposes Bill to End All Mining in the U.S.
by Scott Harn
March 2009

Nick Rahall, chairman of the House Resources Committee, reintroduced mining reform legislation in the House of Representatives on January 27, 2009. The Congressman has obviously been away from real work for far too long. H.R. 699, the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009, should be labeled H.R. 666 because it appears to have been written by the Devil himself. If it passes as written, it will completely destroy an entire industry.

Here are a few “highlights” from H.R. 699:

Casual use would be redefined to allow only those activities that do not cause “any disturbance of public lands and resources ”

Any Disturbance” ???????? If you walk on the land you cause disturbance. Here is a link to a discussion currently on-going on the Alaska Gold Forum.

http://bb.bbboy.net/alask…

As part of this discussion some mention is made that perhaps Hillary Clinton has somehow told the Chinese that U.S. public lands might be used as collateral for their bonds. Before that could happen the miners with claims would have to be evicted from their gold mining claims. The U.S. government has done similar things. When they decide that they want something they find a way to take it.

21 April 2009 at 8:04 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

cantstandtexans (Anonymous) says…

How about this for a good start. Stop shopping at WallyMart and stop buying anything made in China.

It's easy to point out a bill that would start a all out revolution…but I ask again. Do you buy Chinese made crap and do you shop at WallyWorldMart…one of the biggest culprits that pretty much forces companies that Supply WallyWorld's products…to relocate manufactuing from here to Hecho En Chine??!!

That makes you and I responsible for the exportation of money and jobs. I try extremely hard to buy made in U.S.A. products…and not just assembled in the U.S. with foriegn made (chinese!!) parts. Or parts made in Mexico.

You do know there's gonna be a lot of bloodshed coming down the pike……we've became complacent and lazy in our knowledge on what's taking place. And under the premise of being a true blue patriot and support the war on terrorists…..(thanks dumbass Bush!!!)….it seems far too many people bought into “If your not with us…you're against us” B.S.

Well……here we are!!

But be sure you go out and do some shopping and buy some more hecho en chine!!

22 April 2009 at 9:23 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Really (Anonymous) says…

Hate Walmart - I only go there under duress. I will try even harder to avoid that place!

22 April 2009 at 4:58 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

dentedfender (Anonymous) says…

You know it is awful hard not to shop at Chinamart when all that is happening out there is that my expenses keep going up and up. That includes my gas costs to get back and forth to work my electric bill the added expense of the groceries that I buy to put food on my table. And lo and behold I see no increase in my welfare check every month. It comes down to I can't afford to SHOP any where else but Chinatown.

23 April 2009 at 9:47 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

freeman (Anonymous) says…

they have some excellent prices on thier bbq grills

23 April 2009 at 10:12 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

50cal (Anonymous) says…

walmart coming to craig was the biggest welfare reform change to ever happen to craig

23 April 2009 at 12:40 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

valleylocal (Anonymous) says…

I agree it would be nice not to outsource our factories but if we didn't, then us Americans wouldn't be able to afford the products that we purchase. Products made over seas are produced pennies on the dollar thats why most corporate offices outsource their customer service as well. Its sucks but thats the way it is. Just a reminder to shop local, at all costs, because the revenue from sales tax stays in our community and thats what we want!!!

23 April 2009 at 7:24 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

irishbrat (Anonymous) says…

you see no increase in your welfare check dentedfender?? Yet you are always posting on here so that must mean you can afford a computer and internet??? What????

23 April 2009 at 10:30 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

lonelyone (Anonymous) says…

I kind of like to shop for certain things at Wally World. I know, your all gonna yell at me, but my husbands' check isn't going up at the same rate that people are trying to take away from us. I do, as I said, buy certain things at Wal-mart but there are many more things that I buy at City Market or Safeway and I try to shop K-mart, but they just don't have alot or so it seems.
And I agree with Vallylocal, if we're able to buy U.S. made or union made, we're gonna pay a higher price for those things. Will they be made better and worth the price we'd pay for them?? I don't know,
And I also agree that no matter what we should TRY to shop local. That is one reason I don't mind Walmart being here. It ain't much, but it gave us one more choice for shopping………..Kmart just wasn't cutting it anymore and now my tax dollars are going to Craig because I'm not in such a hurry to go out of town anymore.

24 April 2009 at 4:46 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

dentedfender (Anonymous) says…

Irish you budget your money the way you want to and I will budget mine the way that works best for me. You have no idea why I get a welfare check so don't come across with your holier than thou attitude to me. I don't have to justify anything to any of you.