Mayor Smith Encourages Residents to Shop Local on “Small Business Saturday”

Small businesses, especially here in Scotch Plains, are the backbone of our economy, providing services and employment to individuals in town and throughout the area. This Saturday, November 24, 2018 has been formally recognized by the Township Council as “Small Business Saturday.” I encourage our residents to patronize our local small businesses this Saturday and during the holiday season. Please also stop by and say thank you to our business owners for all they do for our community.

Many of our small businesses financially contribute to events and charitable causes in our community. Our small business owners do not seek the limelight, but they are part of what makes Scotch Plains a great place to live. I commend them for their efforts and support.

As we move forward next year with downtown redevelopment in Scotch Plains, we need to keep the priorities of our business community in mind. Our downtown struggles with generating foot traffic. We need to provide a vital boost to our local economy by moving forward with a downtown redevelopment plan that encourages the growth of our downtown residential population to put more customers within walking distance downtown who will shop and eat there.

More residents downtown will provide the vitality and density to activate the downtown during both day and night. Improving parking and reducing tuck traffic on Park Avenue must also be addressed. Let’s also not forget about the businesses we have on Route 22 and across Scotch Plains that also need our support and attention.

What happens at the State and Federal Level will impact what we do here in Scotch Plains. I encourage our residents to be aware of what goes on at levels of government that impacts our economy. At the state level, I encourage the New Jersey State Legislature and the Governor to prioritize property tax relief next year. New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the nation, and these high taxes stifle job growth and expansion of our small businesses.

At the federal level, the new Congress must be sure to keep our small businesses in mind when discussing tax reform. There are over 29,600,000 small businesses in the United States that provide jobs and services. Any changes in the tax code must not hurt our small businesses.

I am proud to be a champion for small businesses, and the Township Council and I strongly encourage the observance of “Small Business Saturday” to encourage consumers to shop locally and increase the awareness and value of locally owned small businesses in Scotch Plains and in the United States.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Al Smith

Mayor of Scotch Plains