Distressed. Buy Here, Live Here. These words are a joke! If our city and its residents cared about our great town of Altoona, we would not be a distressed city.
The Blair County Chamber of Commerce put out this great campaign, "Live Here, Buy Here." Big joke! You can count on seeing many, many local businesses having out of state or county people doing their paving and seal coating.
The local paving companies pay local, city and school taxes. These out of towners don't shop here; they don't support local stores; and they are not going to be here during the holidays buying gifts or hiring people to clean their homes.
The homeowners are even worse. They will give their hard-earned money to some out-of-town, pull-up-with-extra-material company and get a lousy job.
Stop and think: There is some reason they are not working in their own area. Why can't our city make it a law (like most states) that you have to live here and get at least registered with the local police department to contract for work.
I am so proud to have been born and raised in Altoona. I love our city.
Let's start our own campaign and take care of our own. Live here? Be proud. Buy Here? Support our local companies, not just paving, but lawn care, home maintenance, window and awning contractors.
Helen Fisher
Altoona
