Take a few minutes to watch this video before we continue.
As I pointed out in If I Were Mayor Of Greensboro: Part 20 Charlotte became a world banking headquarters to two of the world's largest banks not because the City of Charlotte incentivized the building of megasites, industrial parks and shopping centers but because the City of Charlotte invested in the local banking industry.
For decades we've heard our Mayors, one after the other, going back to Jim Melvin, talk about attracting big business to Greensboro, be it banking, insurance, textiles, medicine, what have you. But never has Greensboro invested in these businesses. Never has Greensboro taken a risk.
And with no risks come no rewards, stagnation, and decay.
So you tell me, why would they want to come to Greensboro and if they do come to Greensboro then why would they want to stay here when the very community who taxes them fails to invest in them or buy their products?
Think about the industries that used to be huge locally. Cone Mills and Burlington Industries made textiles and we bought them. Nobody would consider anything but Wrangler jeans made by Blue Bell on South Elm st. Cigarettes made on East Market Street sold all over town. Vicks Vapor Rub made in Latham Park was the only rub we'd use. Gasoline storage tanks used to be made on East Market. Bricks and terracotta pipe upon which this city was built were made here. The very stone upon which Greensboro's historic districts are built was mined from a rock quarry 1 block from my home. I used to play there as a child.
Solar is the future. There are plenty of ways Greensboro could buy into solar that would entice solar manufactures to come here. An aggressive campaign of converting City owned buildings to solar could be used to lure in a small solar manufacturer who just might someday become a giant solar manufacturer.
But hey, maybe solar isn't our best choice. I'm sure plenty of my readers are critics of solar energy and I'm okay with that as long as you understand that if we really are to attract new industries to Greensboro then as a community we must buy into those new industries in one way or another.
So with all that being said I'll make this promise: If I am elected Mayor of Greensboro, the City of Greensboro will find ways to purchase from and invest into existing and new industries in Greensboro so that their success is tied to our success.
After all, nothing attracts and retains businesses better than a proven customer base. So whether it's solar or something else Greensboro can only attract industry by investing in the industries we want and need in Greensboro.
Come back for If I Were Mayor Of Greensboro: Part 25
