I keep noticing that many people are having trouble keeping up with their mortgage payment. I believe it is due in part for the lack of manufacturing in the area.
The Chamber of Commerce has been promoting tourism and omitting manufacturing. Tourism only helps a certain few businesses whereas manufacturing helps many businesses. Restaurants and some stores benefit from tourism whereas manufacturing benefits food, clothing, hardware, building materials along with restaurants. Manufacturing also increase taxes to the area towns.
Manufacturing uses the many talents of the existing workers. If there were more manufacturing jobs people would travel into the area instead traveling to other locations.
Most of the larger towns have industrial parks which could hold more manufacturing businesses.
There is nothing in the County to hold people who have talents in manufacturing.
As I go through Shelburne Falls, there are a lot of people, however, very few are carrying packages, which indicates people do not shop. Most of what is bought is carried away in their stomach.
I would suggest that promoting manufacturing have as much attention as tourism
John H Shippee Jr.
Buckland