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Last 7 Days

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• Officer laid to rest in Galt

• After three fires in one week, arson suspected at Lodi home

• Agency, city can begin application process to build Lodi power plant

• Renovation in Thornton

• Regional Roundup

• Correction

• Noche Mexicana

November 20th, 2009

• Acampo woman killed

• Salvation Army Kettle Kickoff

• Advocacy groups sue East Bay Municipal Utility District over Pardee expansion

• Regional Roundup

• Galt plans to help residents with energy-efficient projects

• Stable southeast of Lodi approved

• One year after a heart attack, Lodi's Judy Mims thanks rescuers

• National Guard troops return home in time for the holidays

• Real estate market gets on more solid ground

November 19th, 2009

• Lodi Unified School District board votes to cancel summer school for 2010

• Water surges in Mokelumne River yield more salmon

• Lodi City Council will consider redevelopment next June

• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22

• Corrections

• Chase ends in crash

• Operation: Christmas

• Logbook

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

• Sales tax hike yields dividends: 5 new officers join Galt Police

November 18th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

• Lodi man finds wife's ashes during police display of stolen property

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react

November 17th, 2009

• Clarification

• Lodi Budget and Finance Committee to look into ways to save money on employee benefits

• Regional Roundup

• Decision on summer school expected at tonight's Lodi Unified School District meeting

• Clements gets free water rescue boat

• Redevelopment to be discussed by Lodi City Council again

• Court reinstates death penalty for killer of Lodi grad

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

November 16th, 2009

• Correction

• Public Meetings

• Regional Roundup

• Three members of Lodi-area family fall ill after eating poisonous mushrooms they reportedly found at Lodi Lake

• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi

• Lodi's First Sip event showcases area wineries' latest vintages

• City Council 'triple-dog dared' to ditch cars, use Lodi buses

November 14th, 2009

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

• Regional Roundup

• A first look at 2009 vintages at Lodi's First Sip wine-tasting event

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise

• Despite an increase in homeless students, school districts look to bolster enrollment, raise revenue

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

November 13th, 2009

• What to expect with new homebuyer tax credit

• Lodi Muslim: Local mosque not involved

• Regional Roundup

• Mayor Larry Hansen points out Lodi's economic progress

• First phase of Lockeford park by 2011?

• Lodi veteran recounts close calls in Vietnam

• Burglary suspects are under arrest

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• The country's mess is our fault (152)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (67)
• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise (56)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (48)
• The haves should help the have-nots (30)
• Lodi Flames slim playoff chances vanish in setback to Tracy Bulldogs (25)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Nightmares about America's future (23)
• Public health care is a Christian option (23)

ADVERTISEMENT

Times will be a little better if we pull together and 'Shop Lodi'

The Chamber has received some disturbing phone calls this week. They all have to do with "the brewing of an ugly consumer attitude."

A saddening psyche is developing in some people, driven, we think, by the "bad news media," primarily electronic media.

It seems TV talking heads are continually harping on the failing economy, plus the recent never-ending negative campaigning on various numbered propositions and by most candidates running for state and federal offices.

Add to that local commercial development-oriented issues that are emotionally polarizing and dividing our citizenry, plus frustration with one's own cash position and personal checking account. Then it's City Hall deficits, superseded by State of California shortfalls, then all the way to an $850 billion Band-Aid to keep the economy propped up. This enormity is only topped by shaky finances all over the world.

You cannot stack financial woes any higher than that! It is no wonder people are stressed out. Everywhere is doom and gloom. But let's not take it out on each other. The local road can lead to the high road.

One local auto dealer recently shared that he is witnessing a buyer attitude of, "Oh, come on now. You can come up with a lower price than that on this vehicle. We all know you're hurting, and you might not be around in six-months."

I can tell you the business owner will be around, and he is certainly planning on it.

It is imperative now more than ever that we shop local in Lodi. As a realist I know we have retailing voids, and some consumer preferred formats or products are not available in Lodi. I wear a 37-inch shirt-sleeve, very difficult to find in Lodi. But when you can find it in Lodi, try to buy it in Lodi.

It is very telling to look at license tag frames. Frames often tell where the car comes from, revealing the car dealer's city. I realize we are a mobile population, but tag frames are a good indicator that many trucks and autos driven by Lodi citizens are not bought in Lodi. OUCH!

"Ouch" because it hurts in more ways than one! If you have a perception that Lodi auto dealers are not as competitive as those to the north or south of Lodi, then I think you are in for a surprise. Go ahead and get your best price out of town, then bring it back to a local dealer to match or beat. I'm no expert on buying autos, but I do know there are many factors in purchasing a car and more than a couple of ways to "skin the cat," as it were. At the very least, give the local guy a chance. Same for any other type of retail purchase. If a Lodi merchant doesn't have it, maybe they can special order it for you. Maybe they can show you a more suitable item, perhaps one you did not even know about.

Back to the OUCH part of not shopping local … When you shop Lodi, you may be helping your neighbor or the single mom living down around the corner. In these times, you just might be helping them keep their job. We need an attitude and awareness of helping our own, because we are really helping ourselves. Lodi needs to take care of its own because we are them, if that makes sense.

Another consideration is that you may serve on a nonprofit board or be involved in helping a local charity raise funds for kids, seniors, unwanted pets, pregnant teens, homeless or hungry people, the elderly, veterans, the disabled or your child's school. If you ever have done fundraising in this town, you have gone to local merchants and businesses of all sizes and kinds with your hand out. If we citizens are shopping out of town, then we need to go there to ask for donations to our charities. Keep your consumer dollars here in Lodi. When you do, they can be recycled through all kinds of businesses and services in the community. This money turning over and over through the community is keeping the city working.

There is also the "civic responsibility aspect" of shopping locally, which is to generate adequate tax revenues. If the city doesn't get enough funds needed to run the city from property taxes (it is hard to compete with other city's property tax revenue when we grow less than 1 percent per year) or from sales tax, our city services are put in jeopardy.

I don't usually notice service fall-offs or reductions until it's too late. We notice when the upkeep of the park is way down, when the streets become pocked with excessive potholes, when graffiti stays around then gets worse when it takes police longer to respond because they are spread thinner around town.

Shopping locally funds these things.

Also, especially on smaller purchases, ask yourself, "What is my time worth?" One thing about living in a smaller town is that you can get from one end to the other in 10 minutes. To go a distance for things you can get in Lodi to save a few bucks is pretty much outdated. Even though gas is coming down, it is still too high! And we'd all agree that it will be back to higher when it gets the chance. But the first lesson in self-respect is to value your time. Figuring in fuel and whatever your time is worth to the cost of your purchases makes most out-of-town buying trips a losing proposition. Stay in town; it's greener in more ways than one!

So in closing, the times are tough, no two ways about it. But this is Lodi, and it is a great community — not perfect, but great. Our greatest community asset is you, the Lodi citizen. Our people made Lodi someplace special, and we the people need to keep it that way. Something simple like shopping local is really a big part of retaining our quality of life. We do not readily equate shopping locally with our quality of life, but how do you think livable, lovable, Lodi is going to stay livable and lovable?

The Chamber believes a strong local economy is the biggest factor in keeping any city a desirable place to live. You just do not see a great city without a robust business community, and you the consumer play a very important role in making that happen. Shop Lodi!