With the City of Colusa pushing for a presence on social media, it seems a bit hypocritical with their economic development and tourism efforts, most especially with the town strewn with “shop local” banners.
Social media has its place in the disruption and negative vitriol of society. And users are often bombarded with advertisements and products from businesses outside the city, county, state, and even sometimes outside the country.
While advertising on social media is convoluted and expensive, the chances of a user seeing a post from the City of Colusa about a baby clothing store and then purchasing a baby product from an online seller, not located in the City of Colusa, is even greater.
Why would a citizen on social media watching a commercial created by a public official at a taxpayer cost of about $60 per hour to purchase a Char Broil Big Easy Turkey Fryer at Messick Ace Hardware for $129.99, when Facebook or Instagram will shill an advertisement for the same product on Amazon for $116.39 with free shipping?
When the City of Colusa insists on developing a digital presence for their own vanity, they are undercutting your local businesses and will put them out. These efforts are fruitlessly creating new business, and unlikely creating new sales tax revenue.
Facebook and Instagram are not local businesses, and your tax dollars are being used to promote a platform that is strewn with lies, misinformation, and corruption.
Your taxpayer dollars are driving local businesses out of business as the City of Colusa continues its escapades of its social media stardom.
If the City of Colusa continues to imply that in order to be a part of this community you have to be online, then be prepared for dark days when local businesses have dried up and all whats left are banks, real estate offices, government agencies, and restaurants that struggle against shuttered doors.
If you love your downtown, beit Colusa, Williams, Arbuckle, or Maxwell, a simple hashtag or social media post will not save, nor revitalize your community. I am afraid this takes hard work, shovels, paint brushes, and a whole lot of sweat. But most of all, a hashtag or social media post will not save a business, your money will. Shop Local. Support Local. ™£
