CLARKSDALE, Miss.–The Clarksdale Board of Commissioners is concerned with seeing that a large grocery store locates in the city. But, the Crossroads Economic Partnership (the name for the chamber of commerce) can do very little to offer any incentive to bring one to the city.
The matter was brought up during Crossroads’ presentation at this week’s budget hearing.
“We can do for a grocery store what we can do for a clothing store, which is really not that much,” said Crossroads Pres. and CEP John Levingston.
The reason is that under state rules retail is not considered economic development and so no money is provided by the state to try to recruit or incentivize such a business.
“There are no tools, federal or state tools that we have in our arsenal,” said Levingston.
But, he said the city may have a tool that he cannot offer.
“This is not to say that the city or the county can’t offer their own incentives,” he said. “The county and city can, in their enlightened wisdom, offer a tax exemption.”
Levingston, who has been at his job for eight years, is a former retailer. He acknowledged that Crossroads is always looking to recruit businesses, adding that there are four economic development projects currently underway, which he could not disclose as part of agreements with those companies.
