Laura Nicholson, Executive Director/CEO

There is so much talk about the worsening economy nationwide but within that talk you don't hear a lot about what you can do, what our community can do, what the Chamber will do, to keep our economy strong.

The bottom line is when people know a problem is brewing, smart money says you accept what is coming, figure out how to handle the situation and make a plan. That's just what I believe Yuba-­Sutter can do.

The truth is, when you have a plan something that seemed potentially big just might not be. That's why now is the time for the Yuba-Sutter community to make a commitment to shopping locally and keeping tax dollars at home where they belong.

Now, more than ever, consumers need to be shopping locally to keep our economy strong. While the government may offer stimulus plans and business owners will work ever harder to reign in costs, consumers, you and I, are the ones who can decide what direction the Yuba-Sutter economy will go.

Every purchase we make, every decision we make about where to shop, will ultimately benefit the economy of our community. That's because our spending translates into sales tax dollars returned to the community. Tax dollars pay for our services, our parks and recreation departments, swimming pools, police and fire service that is so essential to our quality of life.