Making Elizabethton Business Friendly

Many times in my position I am asked about creating a “business friendly” community, but I often question what this means. Franklin, Tennessee, for example, has very strict sign, aesthetic, and development regulations, yet businesses flock to this smaller city. Greeneville, Tennessee, on the other hand, has very liberal development regulations allowing for a wide variety of land uses and lot locations, yet this community has many vacant buildings.

The Beacon Center (a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and independent organization dedicated empirical research and timely free market solutions to public policy issues in Tennessee) annually ranks the top 50 most populous Tennessee cities by business friendliness. In their 2013 analysis, they measure community allure, business tax burden, and economic vitality in order to determine which community is more friendly to business. In this ranking, Elizabethton has ranked 35th most business friendly city in the state just under Kingsport at 34th and above Bristol at 37th. Not too bad considering we rank 39th largest city in Tennessee by population.

The National League of Cities (a national organization working with city leaders to build better communities) has also made suggestions on what makes a community business friendly. This organization suggests creating space for innovation, having regulations that make sense, and proactively engaging the business community creates a business friendly community. Unlike the Beacon Center ranking, these suggestions are more actions rather than measures.

In my opinion, a business friendly community is more about cultivating a pro-active, positive business environment rather than measuring specific outcomes and implementing specific programs. Yes, these programs are sure to help the business environment and, yes, the measures use in the Beacon Center’s analysis are certainly helpful in determining the return on investment into business programs, but we must look at the larger picture to determine our business friendliness.

It would be ideal if our local governments could implement a few programs, cut some taxes, and BAM! our community would be “business friendly.” Unfortunately, this is not the case. Our local governments must work together to create business friendly tax, development, and regulatory policies and programs. Our citizens must work to educate and train themselves so that we have a workforce capable of meeting the technical and knowledge driven demands of today’s business environment. Our customers must support local businesses and our local economy to encourage others to start and move businesses here. Our businesses must work to invest in their business, buildings, and local community. And all of us must work to create a positive image of Elizabethton that will make others want to come here.

It takes everyone to create a business friendly community. No one element can do it alone. So how can we all take the first step together? Let’s talk about it!