Forrest Media is a proud member of Local First Arizona, a Phoenix-based nonprofit that represents more than 1,200 locally owned businesses statewide. Its goal is:

1. To educate the public about the significant sales tax revenues that fill the bank accounts of a community and state where local businesses thrive. It is sales tax revenue that creates the quality of life in our community.
2. Support local businesses which create a unique atmosphere that set Arizona apart from anytown USA.

Members of Local First Arizona are your friends and your neighbors. Just like you, we pay the taxes that build the roads we travel on, the police and fire departments on which we depend, and the quality of education our children receive. We’re the local business owners who call this community our home.

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

If you’re still not convinced about driving that extra mile to support local businesses, then consider this:

• For every two jobs national retailers bring to a community, three jobs are lost as a result of local businesses closing down.
• When you shop locally-owned businesses, your money is re-circulated over and over and creates up to 75% more tax revenue to our community and state.
• Independent businesses raise the standard of living in your community because they take their profits and buy products and services from other local businesses, thus creating more and more tax revenues needed for the community to thrive.
• Millions of dollars of tax revenue subsidies handed to chains by financially-starved local governments drain even more tax revenue from our community and state.
• Blighted empty shopping areas are created in your community when chain stores re-locate to a more lucrative shopping center, or leave altogether. Literally hundreds of big stores are abandoned each year across the United States.
• Independent businesses are unique enterprises that contribute to the character of our community by offering a more diverse selections of goods and services.
• Independent businesses provide meaningful service with a personal touch. It matters to them that you are satisfied and will come back again.
• Carefully planned predatory pricing practices have allowed national chains to establish virtual monopolies as they drive local competition out of business. And then they raise their prices.

So find that local coffee shop, then log onto ZonieReport.com for independent Arizona news. You’ll be glad you did.

More links to Local First Arizona:

• About the organization
• Find a local business (by category, city or service)
• Become a Friend of Local First