Anyone have ideas on how to improve the economic viability of small towns. I am thinking about Middletown, CA because I happen to live very close to it and three businesses recently went out of business in the short span of just two weeks. Traffic just seems to pass through the town and not stop to shop and support the local merchants. Perhaps the layout of the town is a problem. It looks like a Hollywood movie lot of the Old West. See for yourself at ShopMiddletown.com. But no, this is what Middletown, CA looks like today in 2008. There are no parking lots or parking meters. Folks just pull over to the curb from the state highway. Perhaps that is the problem. Folks do not want to pull over to the curb because that curb is adjacent to a state highway.

The cost of having Caltrans to come and change the way traffic approaches the town would be too expensive for California to ever voluntarily change with tax dollars. In case you have not heard, California is having difficulty paying off its indebtedness. The state is actually trying to close many of its parks just to reduce its indebtedness. And, this has many people all over the state outraged.

Any suggestions out there on what can be done to make a small Northern California town more economically viable?

Lamar Morgan
CDMM
707-709-8605
Attract more customers!

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