Shop for the cause

The bulk of critical services the City of Oklahoma City provides are funded through sales tax. What does that mean? The more money you spend shopping in city limits means more money for the city to provide police, firefighters, fix streets, build parks and more.

The story is the same in just about every city in our state. While property taxes can be used to fund voter-approved bond issues for specific capital projects, Oklahoma law prohibits cities from levying property taxes for services.

You can make an even bigger impact on the community by shopping at locally owned retail. For every dollar spent at a locally owned store, 67 cents stay in the community. Money spent at independent stores is multiplied in the community. It helps pay wages for residents, who have such pride in our city and support local businesses as well.

Local retailers make up the fabric of our community and give life to the districts we all know and love in OKC. Unfortunately, no one was hit as hard by the pandemic as our local retailers, and they still need our help. Whether it is buying gifts at your favorite local shop or ordering takeout from a local restaurant, every dollar spent locally will help make Oklahoma City stronger.

This article originally appeared on The Better Life blog.