Accepting as true that Target would employ 50 or so... A significant percentage, including store management would be "imports." Some supervisory and most administrative jobs would go to locals along with the low Mcjobs which would be awarded to unskilled local labor.
Assume that 35 jobs go to locals.

6% of a 10,000 person workforce = 600 unemployed. 600 minus the 40 jobs brought in by Target = 560 unemployed. When people shop at Target, they don't buy from the existing mom and pop retailers. The fact is that when a big box store comes into an area, it leaves abandoned commercial retail space in its wake. This just adds more people to the unemployment ranks.

At the end of the day, big box stores offer low prices because they operate efficiently...which means they have less payroll than that of the accumulated Mom-and-Pops they destroy.

Blairsville needs to use its tax base and whatever political clout it has to either becoming a tourist retail market or an industrial hub. The most jobs come from the industrial choice. But it requires assets and an infrastructure and lucky geography. Its geographically too far from Atlanta, Chattanooga and Ashville. Utilities are overpriced and there aren't enough assets to develop infrastructure without a FIVE MILLION DOLLAR BOND and an EXEMPTION FROM PAYING ANY LOCAL TAXES (Tyson). And the reason there aren't any county assets?
Because those who placed themselves on the Development Authority have funneled it to themselves through sweetheart deals creating considerable personal fortunes .

Retail-based economy? Maybe. But it depends on attracting or developing and supporting entrepreneurs who are willing to take on debt or other risk. But look what happens to them time after time. They get put in a pot and eaten by the natives... the same natives on the Development Authority or that Union County Bank bunch.

Blairsville is a retirement community. Its obvious track is to cater to that. Its a good place to die. Apparently its better than Florida because they seem to flock up here from there for that purpose. So developing the medical care industry - and all the jobs that it takes to support it - is obviously the best choice.

Only thing is... you have to keep the pigs away from the trough. Maybe a better anaolgy is to remove the cancer. Until the real two or three heads who control local leadership either get religion, dies or leaves town in disgrace and powerless, we will have no significant economy to support employment.

What do we do about it? Only God can give them religion and death is not up for consideration...But we can demand resignations, replacements, restitution through criminal trials and civil suits... in a legal forum which isn't locally owned.

I like how you did your homework, Angelfire, but you're missing the point. There's only 1 other big box store in Union County, and that is Alexander's. Most of the items they offer and make money on won't be found at Target. Blairsville is single-handedly responsible for roughly 40-50% of the Murphy Wal-Mart's sales, so if anyone loses out by a Blairsville Target store it is the people of Murphy. All of that sales tax and money stays within Blairsville, pumping even more money into the local economy for monitored SPLOST projects, which would require jobs to build and maintain. The Industrial sector seems to be gaining ground with the Airport Park expanding. However, the one factor that seriously hurts heavy industry here is the fact that we don't have any railroads to efficiently transport the goods to major markets. So, only small to medium industries can survive here with truck transportation. The citizens of Blairsville are on average better educated than the rest of the area, so how about attracting some clean, high-tech industry here?
I agree that the medical industry is the best to expand simply because we have more physicians and health-care personnel than other local areas. Our hospital is excellent and on the verge of becoming a major regional facility, and more specialists are coming in. But, as much as you hate it Angelfire, United Community Bank will be the driving force in jobs here. As long as Jimmy Tallent continues to buy banks left and right, there will be more jobs available at the headquarters. Don't forget the other banks too--how on earth does an area of 20,000 have four large banks to choose from? By the sheer amount of wealth here, that's how. And that is what will bring retailers to Blairsville.

As much as the growth may suck for our aesthetic qualities, it's bound to happen as long as Atlanta keeps creeping our way.

Thanks for an intelligent and thoughtful reply. It would be great in another place. But what good is sales tax money to the county until ethical government is in play and sweetheart deals stop draining the coffers. We'd already have all the money we need if that wasn't going on.

And regardless of what you think about Union County Bank, Jimmy Tallent doesn't want a light shown into the closet. He has been involved in [edited], [edited] and [edited] that I know of personally. He knows what he did but a lot of people will overlook it until their own ox doesn't get gored.

What if the money flowing through the community had to pass thorough a den of lawful abortionists instead of unlawful fraud artists. The point is that it is ill-gotten gain, no matter what good it is used for.

Do ethics even count to Blairsvillians? or was Machiavelli just right.

LOL. I want to buy 100 of them.

how about this on a shirt blairsville those near death are welcome all others stay way

Edited by - Last Stand on 12/15/2003 09:24:56 AM

Edited by - Florida transplant on 12/23/2003 08:04:01 AM

Blairsville, Georgia - home in the North GA Mountains

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