Policy Order O-1

WHEREAS: Cambridge's wide range of innovative and customer conscious small businesses are ranked high in what residents cherish most about this city; and

WHEREAS: Cambridge is fortunate to have hundreds of unique and popular locally owned and independent businesses that are critical components to a strong local economy; however, in these hard economic times owning a business has become even more difficult; and

WHEREAS: During this difficult time, it is critical that we continue to fight for every Cambridge job, every Cambridge small business and every chance to boost Cambridge's economy; and

WHEREAS: Nationally, small businesses employ over half of all private sector employees and have generated over 64 percent of net new jobs over the past 15 years; and

WHEREAS: The most readily available action any city can take to diminish the effect of the national economic crisis on its residents it to help strengthen its local economy; and

WHEREAS: It has come to the attention of the Cambridge City Council that several city employees ordered flowers from a national floral website in celebration of "Administrative Professionals Day" rather than submit the order to a locally owned business, and ultimately the order was eventually fulfilled by a local store; and

WHEREAS: The afore described scenario is literally taking money out of the hands of local business owners and sending it to a middleman in Virginia for the same services and flowers; and

WHEREAS: Money spent at locally-owned businesses contributes 57% more to the local economy than does money spent at non-locally owned businesses and keeps valuable services and jobs in the City; and

WHEREAS: The before mentioned example highlights the necessity for a more pro-active approach by the City of Cambridge to support local economic development, especially in these uncertain economic times.  It is important to remind residents and employees alike that individual decisions collectively impact the fabric of the community around us; now therefore be it

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby is requested to direct all department heads to remind their staff to whenever possible and when it is economically feasible to buy local. This can be accomplished by hanging posters in City buildings similar to those at the Harvard Book Store which say "See it here, buy it here, keep us here" and through regular department meetings stressing the importance of supporting the local economy and report back to the City Council.