"We all would love to see big things happen in Kingman; but the economy - it's not just here, it's everywhere," Deering said. "I don't know this commission, or any commission right now, is going to change the economic outlook of Kingman, other than time itself."
"This town has always had some plans. Otherwise, we wouldn't have had the 17-percent growth during the boom that we had," he said. "It's unfair to say we didn't have a plan. Kingman was developing, it was growing, and things were nice and rosy when the economy was good."
First of all for the most part I like outgoing councilman Deering. I have nothing personal against the man or the councilman, I just disagree with him at times (like with the two quotes above).
Some months ago I stopped posting economic development activities that other communities are doing during even these trying times (the national economy). If I searched today for such community efforts, no doubt I'd find plenty to share and it is easy to understand why. Many local communities clearly understand the need to compete for new business opportunities, i.e. new opportunities for new tax revenues. But these 'other' communities are not sitting around and waiting out the bad times in the hopes of attracting new opportunities when, or if, things get all rosy on the national economic scene.
I'm currently doing business in another area of the US southwest... a community that banded together a couple of years ago to ensure a better business opportunity within the community. Has it worked?? Well the results are mixed but to a person that I've talked to in this new area where I'm doing a pretty brisk business, they've all said that without the efforts things would be a total mess right now (in other words, I wouldn't be doing business here).
Really, it is not difficult, just go ahead and search the interwebz for articles on business competition between states right now. Oh... it's on. I know of at least three western states that are courting enterprises in California (in comparison Arizona is not really one of those either... for shame).
It is safe to say that if states are competing against each other for new opportunity... local communities are in it to win it as well.
Maybe Mr. Deering made the right call to decide not to run for reelection at this time. Kingman certainly needs leaders that want to compete for better opportunities for this community. If Mr. Deering or any other community leader is unwilling to move Kingman forward, hopefully the voters will elect some leaders that are willing to take a shot at increasing employment opportunity, business opportunity, and community improvement.
I've always heard the age old adage that the rising tide will raise all boats... but if the tide doesn't come back for what might be an extended period of time... why not get some folks together and drag the boat out to where the water level is high enough to get on with the sailing?? I want leaders that are willing to do the heavy lifting.
