Dear Editor:
The Transformation project can be a win/ win for Central Missouri. From its inception the project offered the opportunity for anyone with any interest in our future to join in, voice their opinions and be a part of the solution. Literally hundreds accepted the opportunity, rolled up their sleeves and volunteered countless hours to produce a well rounded plan that will not only head us in a positive direction but also provide our community with some long needed resources to do the things we've only talked about for decades.
The entire Transformation project has many positives for our area.
First of all, as we all weather the storm of the economic downturn, the construction phase will produce jobs across many trades and industries that will put local people, from here in Central Missouri, to work. The paychecks that Transformation will provide to local workers and their families over the next few years of building and preparation will be re-invested by those same families in local grocery stores, restaurants, auto purchases, health care, charitable contributions, and so on.
Do you think it's worth an extra nickel on every $10 you spend to provide jobs for your neighbors? I hope you do! And, by using a sales tax we need to remember that, for each nickel we put in, someone passing through to go to a meeting at some other town's conference center that stops to buy a candy bar or a meal to go is also contributing.
Transformation is a step toward tomorrow. It's a big project but it's well planned. It breaks from our past of the "chicken and egg" syndrome we have suffered from for years. In the past many have whined that we need this but not until we have that, or I like this but I don't like that, or use my land not theirs. It's happened for decades. Transformation bundles many of the things we've needed and finally gets them done and does so at a time when our community could use the work. By the time the projects are complete, the economy should be improving and we can all be proud to say "hey, come to Jefferson City, we're open, ready, and this truly is a great place to live, work and play".
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