PROGRESS REPORT
SUNDAY, APRIL 30, 2023 | L1
SPECIAL SECTION 2
SUNDAY, APRIL 30, 2023 | azdailysun.com
| SECTION L
Flagstaff makes it easier to choose Flagstaff
T
CITY OF FLAGSTAFF ECONOMIC VITALITY STAFF
he practice of helping businesses to stay and grow in Flagstaff is one that requires a deep and broad level of engagement with all businesses from the first-time startup to the global community partners, which provides unique perspectives on the trajectory of entire community. Local businesses seek to survive and thrive in locations that meet their business needs and are also places that the owners and the employees want to call home. There is a natural tension between affordability and desirability. Flagstaff is a highly desirable place to live and yet for decades we have participated in community dialogues about affordability. According to Kiplingers, Harlingen Texas, located in
$12 million
the southernmost tip of Texas near the Rio Grande and Gulf of Mexico, is the cheapest place to live in the USA, but with 24.7% of their population living below the poverty line, it may not be particularly desirable. 118.7. That is the cost-of-living index of Flagstaff. Considering that the costof-living index for the state of Arizona is 106.4, the numbers present a certain tension. The Bed, Board, and Beverage (BBB) revenues are up to $11,466,072 for 2022 which indicates that people want to visit Flagstaff and spend their hard-earned money in our hotels, restaurants, and bars. This current value represents a 93.96% increase in those revenues between 2013 and 2022. Contributing to that strong BBB
revenue for 2022 is the fact that Flagstaff has a minimum wage that is $2.90 more than the rest of the state of Arizona. A minimum wage of $16.80 amounts to $18.21 for the employer when costs such as federal unemployment, social security, and state unemployment are included. While such true costs may be good for the BBB revenues they are also challenging to local independent businesses and to the area high school students looking for their first job experience. With all of these
challenges, real and perceived, Flagstaff still ranks very high in terms of quality of life and quality of place. Our four-season community is blessed with award winning kindergarten through career (K-Career) education facilities and more outdoor activities than one could do in a month; Flagstaff is highly desirable, and many businesses continue to ChooseFlagstaff.com again and again. Joy Cone Company is the world’s largest manufacturer of ice cream cones. Their western operations reside right here in Flagstaff and while they currently employ almost 200 people, they are in the process of expanding adding up to 85,000 square feet which will also result in their hiring Please see ECONOMY, Page 3
$11,465,000
Flagstaff bed, board and beverage Tax collection, 2009-2022
$10 million $8 million $6 million $4 million $2 million 0
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
The Guidance Center – an expanding team of experts available to you 24/7 Call The 24 Hour Crisis Line at (928) 527-1899. It Only Takes A Moment To Get The Help You Need. 00 1