HUNTINGTON BEACH : City’s ‘Shop-at-Home’ Campaign Launched

The city is promoting a “Shop Huntington Beach” program designed to help both businesses and the city treasury.

Cities get a share of the state sales tax proportional to the amount of sales tax collected within each city’s boundaries. Huntington Beach officials said that sales tax revenues in the city can be increased if more residents can be persuaded to “buy in their hometown.”

To launch the new “Shop Huntington Beach” campaign, the city is joining with local auto dealers in sending out letters to 30,000 households.

By unanimous vote, the City Council last week approved the campaign and a draft of a letter to be mailed. The postage cost of $8,700 is being paid by the Huntington Beach Auto Dealers Assn.

The letter, signed by Mayor Jim Silva, says: “One percent of every dollar spent by Huntington Beach residents goes to the local jurisdiction where the purchase is made. The goal of the Shop Huntington Beach program is to encourage Huntington Beach residents to make as many of their purchases as possible within the city limits, thereby increasing the city’s sales tax revenues.”

City Administrator Michael T. Uberuaga has frequently reminded the City Council that sales tax revenues must be increased in Huntington Beach if the city is to keep up with city expenses and residents’ demands for city services.

Uberuaga said Huntington Beach is, to its economic misfortune, bracketed by two major shopping centers: South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa and Westminster Mall. Those malls draw many Huntington Beach residents, Uberuaga said, and the result is that Westminster and Costa Mesa benefit from the sales taxes.

As part of Huntington Beach’s “shop-at-home” campaign, city government is streamlining traffic access to the Huntington Center, which is the city’s principal mall.

City government has also stressed its intention to help automobile dealers on Beach Boulevard, which compete with car dealerships on Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa.