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Steamboat Springs — Lately, my P.O. Box has been crammed to overflowing with catalogs asking me to either call or log on and buy "stuff." I also am being encouraged to shop locally for "stuff" whenever possible. I am well aware that a dollar spent locally at one of our many retail establishments has a ripple effect within the overall economy. Although we have some pretty cool local "stuff," I am not too sure that my personal spending on such "stuff" would make a very big splash in the economy.

I think my family is like a lot of local families, and we are re-thinking our spending for the holidays. We are going to spend less on gifts this year. We have discussed this with our adult children and have encouraged them to do the same. Keep it simple, and enjoy one another's company is our family's theme.

However, I do plan on increasing my local spending this year in one area. I want to apologize in advance to City Council, because this local spending will not generate a dime of additional sales tax revenue. I am confident City Council will understand and accept my apology. I am going to take some of the money I typically budget to buy "stuff" and make sure it finds its way into the hands of some of our local nonprofit organizations. Our community has a wide selection of nonprofits to pick from, and it is going to be easy to find one that is a good fit for me.

Although shopping locally for "stuff" is important, it is not nearly as impactful as giving locally. I would encourage each of us, before writing a check or donating online to a worthy out-of-town charity, to make giving to a local nonprofit a priority. Particularly this year, the splash of the dollar you give locally will result in a wave, not a ripple.

Scott L. Ford

Steamboat Springs