Dear Editor:
I am a Summerland businessman who builds single family homes. My client base is made up of people who want to move to and retire in Summerland. I have no professional stake in the Banks Crescent development but I do have a personal interest in the future of my community.
It seems that certain segments of the Summerland population are eager to jump on the business boycott bandwagon when a business owner happens to hold a point of view that differs from theirs.
I support free choice but, I urge you to consider all of the consequences before joining in a business boycott. The direct and indirect impacts of a boycott can be devastating to our community.
A business boycott will result in lost revenues for the business owner.
Loss of business revenues leads to cost cutting. Cutting fixed costs are difficult so the first response is typically downsizing staff, your first boycott casualty.
The business owner could be forced to close his or her business, your second boycott casualty.
Suppose that business owner leased his or her store. The lease payments to the property owner now stop. The property owner’s livelihood is now impacted, your third boycott casualty.
When businesses fail, business taxes are not paid to the district. Now the district has to make up the lost revenue by increasing our residential taxes. Now we are all casualties.
In the end, your business boycott could devastate our community, result in lost jobs, higher taxes for everyone and possibly ruined lives.
If that was your goal – congratulations!
I support the Banks Crescent development and CSI Summerland. Please visit their website at summerlandcsi.com to learn more.
Anthony Deane
Tight Lines Contracting Ltd.
Summerland