AUBURN, AL (WTVM) -
The City of Auburn is encouraging citizens to stay local and ShopAuburn this holiday season.
"It's a initiative of the chamber and city to keep sales tax dollars local, that's what pays for police protection, fire protection, local schools and local roads," explains City of Auburn's Director of Public Affairs, David Dorton. "So that's just an important part of the city's revenue structure and how we keep services going."
ShopAuburn applies to every business within the Auburn city limits and to make traveling downtown even simpler, parking will be at no cost this week and during the Auburn University's holiday break.
"Downtown meters are free this week and they'll be free between semesters so all during Christmas all meters will be free, so it will be easy to visit downtown businesses and restaurants," says Dorton.
Local merchants are partnering with city's campaign and are offering promotions to attract people downtown.
"I am actually from Auburn so I think its very important to keep taxes and everything downtown so we can keep auburn beautiful not only for the people in our community, but for the people who come in from out of town because we represent Auburn as a whole," explains Wrapsody manager, Kasi Davis.
Not only do supporting local businesses benefit local shop owners, but it also benefits Auburn citizens whose purchases generate tax dollars to fund important local infrastructure projects, like the City of Auburn's parking project.
"Just in the next week they are going to take down two buildings, the Auburn Bank drive-thru and they yellow building news to it will come down and become parking," says Dorton.
When the two buildings are torn down next week, it will create 50 new parking spots that will be temporarily free.
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