Harlan Kirgan
The Toys R Us bankruptcy filing highlighted the change occurring in the retail business world, Bill Rodier, St. Landry Economic Development executive director, said.
“The online shopping environment is totally changing the brick and mortar structure that we have known in retail,” Rodier said at the economic development organization’s Board of Directors meeting Tuesday in Opelousas.
“It is going to be a challenge for us as we look to local governments,” he said noting that not all online purchases pay sales taxes.
Customers can buy goods online and pay little in shipping and often with no taxes.
Rodier started the meeting by stating, “They tell us that 63 percent of the residents of St. Landry Parish are registered Facebook users, which is a pretty strong number.”
Rodier made his comments partially in reference to the group’s need for a communication coordinator. Parish government also lacks someone to handle communications, he said.
“We need to provide this person to really be that face,” he said.
“We we look like online is what we are going to look like,” he said.
The younger generations “think that their world is on that phone.”
Rodier also made his comments as he and the board guide the development of economic development districts, particularly along Interstate 49 and in Opelousas.
The districts are using tax increment financing to fund infrastructure improvements.
The district in Grand Goteau at the I-49 interchange has received a $400,000 grant, which it must match with $200,000.
Without the special taxing district, Grand Coteau would have never been able to afford to make the match that will pay for infrastructure, he said.