Elmore County: Live Here, Buy Here

How the investment in local Elmore County business and economy supports the health and longevity of our communities at large.

The businesses and organizations within Elmore County, Alabama, depend on their local communities — and the citizens within those communities — to survive and thrive. Sourcing local business is not just a trend or practice that has come to light as a result of the pandemic; it’s also an important step toward sustainable business and the overall health of the county’s economic wellbeing. Sustainable business development and a sustainable economy depend on balancing sales with the ability to maintain growth.

Your support of Elmore County’s local economy fosters a sense of community and pride when you source local businesses and support the organizations within our county. Whether that means buying your groceries locally or shopping for birthday presents at a brick and mortar in town instead of traveling outside of county lines — every penny counts and helps sustain our local purveyors.

Over the years, local support of our businesses and organizations has made a significant, positive impact on our communities. We’ve seen the impact that local investment has had on various sectors of the economy, including our education system, public transportation department, and beyond. Let’s break down how some of the community’s contributions have doubled back to impact different segments of the county.

Keeping the County Safe

$55,000 Salary for one Deputy with benefits, $40,000 Fully outfitting a Law Enforcement Patrol Vehicle, $85,000 Resurfacing and striping 1 mile of road

Under the Code of Alabama, each county is responsible for the following:

• Administration of law enforcement
• Construction and maintenance of roads and bridges
• Recording of legal papers
• Property and license tax collection
• Indigent care

County commissions – in our case, the Elmore County Commission – serve as the custodian of all county property and provides office space for a multitude of offices. See below for a list of those offices.

• Circuit and District Courts
• District Attorney’s Office
• Veteran’s Affairs
• Board of Registrars
• Board of Equalization
• Elmore County Extension Office.

The Commission also assists in administering elections by establishing voting districts and precincts, providing voting equipment, and paying for election expenses.

When citizens of our county spend money and conduct business within county lines, they help to sustain our economy and assist in the maintenance of commission responsibilities. In that way, conducting local business helps support the construction and maintenance of roads, local government establishments, law enforcement entities, etc.

Elmore County and Education

Shopping in Elmore County also means that the local taxes collected from each purchase will stay within the economic flow of the county. This will help fund educational services such as teacher and educational salaries, transportation for students, and technology in the classroom, just to name a few. $70,000 Average Teacher Salary (with Master’s), $45,000 Average School Staff Salary, $90,000 Average Annual Transportation Cost per Bus, $300 One Chromebook, $2,000 One Interactive Panel.

City and county governments incur various expenses to provide quality services to their citizens. Here are some examples from the county government that provide some context into the cost of providing critical services and how the support of our local businesses plays a key role in helping fund these needed resources.

Remember that when you buy your groceries in Elmore County it can have the following reaction:

Also, when you spend money at a local shop it can help with:

The benefits of local purchasing are clear. The challenge we face most is communicating all of these (long-term) benefits to the citizens of Elmore County, especially when they’re not visible in the moment. Fortunately, organizations and consumers are becoming more aware of the benefits of local purchasing, and ECEDA is here to support both local businesses and our community members in conducting local business on a daily basis. Reach out to us with any questions, comments, and/or concerns as they arise.