All for one, one for all would help

A caller the other day had an interesting perspective on economic development efforts being put forward in the Shoals.

The gentleman began his comments by going over a story that appeared in the TimesDaily a week ago, reviewing the accomplishments and pitfalls associated with the five-year strategic plan the community developed for the Shoals Economic Development Authority. It was pretty obvious it takes a lot to satisfy this man.

Reluctantly, he said bringing in SCA Tissue, a Walgreens call center, North American Lighting and other projects was good for the area. He questioned, however, whether SEDA actually had anything to do with the projects. That's nothing new; SEDA has been criticized before and will continue to be criticized in the future.

What was particularly interesting about this caller was he was upset that most of the 2,519 jobs that have been created in the Shoals in the past five years were related to operations in Colbert County, not in Lauderdale where he lives.

The bigger job announcements, in fact, have involved Colbert County more often than Lauderdale. The caller indicated that means he and Lauderdale residents were not getting as much for their tax dollars as Colbert residents. He criticized elected officials in Florence and Lauderdale for "letting them get away with it."

It's a point of view shared by others because some elected officials have told me they've heard the same complaint.

Thinking beyond your own backyard for a second, is it possible that when an industry goes to Colbert that it also benefits Lauderdale, or vice versa?

You're dang right it's possible.

Officials at the Walgreens call center have done an audit on their work force. Of those who say they live in Colbert or Lauderdale, the split is virtually 50-50. About 10 percent of the center's work force lives outside the Shoals.

If you tour the SCA Tissue parking lot near Barton, you'll see dozens of cars with Lauderdale license plates.

I asked the caller where he thought a majority of the workers at those industries spend their paychecks, regardless of where they live? It seems to stand to reason that the answer would be Florence, since there are more retail stores there.

The bottom line is, new industries are examples that what's good for one side of the river is good for the other. There are many more examples.

Our problem has been and continues to be that we can't see beyond our own backyards.

Mike Goens is the TimesDaily managing editor. He can be reached at 740-5740 or mike.goens@timesdaily.com.