Cities try to expand their tax base by encouraging new shopping and other retail developments. A major reason for this is because a portion of sales tax revenues collected within the city limits are rebated back to the city by the state. Therefore, strategies that attract new businesses, tourists and others who will spend money within the city increase the amount of money available for city services. Simply put, they grow the city’s revenue without increasing anyone’s tax rates.
People want to visit a place they like and feel good about. We’ve come a long way in making people feel good about Starkville; however, I think we can do better. For example, we only have one brief chance to influence somebody’s first impression. An impression, once made, is difficult to change. That is why we need to make sure the first impression our visitors have is a positive one.
I think we’ve made great strides in improving most of our access roads such as Highways 25 and 82. Highway 12 is significantly improved and will be even more impressive when the new convention center is built. Highway 182 (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive), though, is another story. Sadly, it’s the entrance into Starkville that many visitors see first. It’s also a major transportation route for our residents. We can do better than that.
I would like to see some of the beautification upgrades that were completed on Main Street and University Drive also applied to Highway 182. Such sprucing up would enhance the area and make it more attractive for existing and new businesses. It would also significantly improve the first impression appeal of Starkville.
Some things we can do to enhance our image would be to adopt an economical curbside recycling program, make our parks and public facilities fully ADA-compliant, and creatively use technology to accomplish city services more efficiently. These types of activities create positive exposure on a national scale which provides more opportunities for a strong first impression.
