Round Rock Edition | November 2022

Several local business owners oered tips for customers who may be about to start their holiday shopping.

MY ADVICE WOULD BE, DUE TO INFLATION, BUY RESALE. IT’S NOT ONLY GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR POCKETBOOK. WE HAVE GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE THAT CAN BE USED AT OTHER UPTOWN LOCATIONS AS WELL.

WITH OUR ECONOMY RIGHT NOW, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT [CUSTOMERS’] MEANS ARE OR WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. THERE’S A LOT OF HANDMADE GIFTS IN HERE THAT ARE REASONABLY PRICED. THERE’S SOMETHING IN HERE FOR EVERYONE.

I WOULD SAY SHOP EARLY RATHER THAN LATER BECAUSE WHAT THEY HAVE IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE. THEY CAN’T CONTINUE TO REORDER AND GET MORE STUFF IN JUST BECAUSE THE SUPPLY CHAIN HASN’T CAUGHT BACK UP YET.

CHRISTINA LATTERELLLOGANIMOCE CENTER, OWNER OF UPTOWN CHEAPSKATE

DONNA THOMAS RIGHT, OWNER OF THE PFLUGERVILLE PFLEA MARKET

KIM KUBULA LEFT, COOWNER OF THE HUTTO GENERAL STORE

actually rent some trailers and head over to get all the product that we need. That kind of helps us with supply issues, because if something is not there that I was think- ing of carrying for Q3 and Q4, then I will be there to choose something dierent and get a Buying from local busi- nesses can help boost the local economy due to the way sales and use taxes are assigned, Round Rock Chief Financial Ocer Susan Mor- gan said. Sales and use taxes generated by sales in the cit- ies of Round Rock, Puger- ville and Hutto contribute to city revenues. Two percent of total sales tax stays with the city versus going to the loca- tion of an online seller. In particular, sales tax accounts for 45% of the city bunch of that.” Shopping local

of Round Rock’s general fund budget for the 2022-23 scal year. The city has been able to pay for projects such as Brushy Creek Regional Utility Author- ity water line replacements with cash from its self-- nanced construction fund, which is primarily funded with sales tax revenue. “Sales tax is a lovely balance for us,” Morgan said during budget discussions. “That gives us a lower tax rate [and] better amenities for that, but it is also a very volatile source from an economic standpoint, as we discovered last year, and from a regulatory standpoint. We want to make sure we don’t over-rely on that.” In Round Rock, the 8.25% sales tax rate can be bro- ken down into the 6.25% base rate paid to the state, with 1% designated to city revenue, 0.5% to reduce the city’s property tax rate

and 0.5% going toward city transportation projects and economic development. The city of Pugerville sets aside 1% of every taxable dollar spent in the city for its own revenue, with 0.5% intended for economic devel- opment and the remaining 0.5% dedicated to Travis County ESD No. 2. Similarly, Hutto also allocates 1% to city revenue, with 0.5% for economic development and 0.5% to reduce the city’s property tax rate. One eort is underway to encourage residents to shop locally. The Shop Small Society comprising business owners in Williamson and Bell counties launched a hol- iday shopping passport from Nov. 1-Dec. 11. Shoppers can visit participating businesses to collect stamps for their passport and be entered to win prizes.

Some area business owners continue to struggle with stang. In the capital/Travis County area, there are more retail sales jobs than job seekers. In the rural capital area, made up of all counties contiguous to Travis, there are more job seekers than openings. Data is from Oct. 11.

Capital area: 94 more openings than job seekers

Rural capital: -59 more job seekers than openings

SOURCE: TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSIONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Choosing to shop local also benets those businesses directly, as many may rely on the holiday shopping season to stay aoat, Robinson said. “Probably more than 90% of our membership base is small businesses,” Robinson

said. “A lot of them are retail- ers who rely on this holiday season, where they receive a lot of their income.”

For more information, visit communityimpact.com.

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ROUND ROCK EDITION • NOVEMBER 2022