Local opinion: Tucson should put small businesses at center of economic growth

I'm hopeful that our elected officials will indeed be choosy, as Tim Steller suggests, as they work on economic development. But there is a long way to go before their choosiness is more than just an ideal.

The problem of economic development is incredibly complicated, and I applaud Tim Steller for discussing it. My disagreement is with the column's dismissal of small businesses as irrelevant to economic growth, and the assumption that business is somehow separate from social welfare. Steller's piece accepts those premises as givens, but he's wrong about both. For a nuanced understanding of these intertwined issues, visit the Institute for Local Self Reliance website and peruse their resources.

The economic fortunes of Tucsonans are not operating in a vacuum. Homelessness and poverty are growing here, of course, just as they are everywhere in the United States. Everything that Americans as a whole are suffering as a result of past administrations' mistakes, going back decades, and the current Trump administration’s disastrous policies- from the DOGE catastrophe to the war in Iran to inflation to quashing any development of energy infrastructure such as wind and solar — all of that drags Tucson down, too.

When you add in the unique challenges of our desert climate and our near-the-border location, it gets even harder. Tucson is getting hotter and more difficult to live in without spending more on electricity. Our water supply is precarious, and the whole country knows it. Corporations that make these existing problems even worse, along with federal agencies that destroy our environment and our cultural fabric, are here despite our objections. These factors make Tucson unattractive, despite all of the wonderful reasons there are to live and work here.

Our local elected officials have so many options for where they put their economic development efforts. Their interest in moving Tucson away from extractive and war profiteering industries is a key strategy. Tucsonans agree: high water users and environmentally contaminating industries have no place here, period. But the city and county do need to refocus their attention on what makes Tucson a great place to live, and in general, dropping a couple giant corporations or data centers or semiconductor factories down on the edge of town is not the magic solution. The last thing Tucsonans need or want is to be ruled by one tech bro or an oligarch like Bezos or Musk. Tucson is not Seattle or Silicon Valley, nor do we want to be. The solution is multi-faceted and uniquely ours.

What else does a city like Tucson need? Businesses and organizations centered around climate resilience. Healthcare, and medical education, because there are never enough doctors, nurses, or caregivers. Higher education, because college students are key economic drivers no matter what their majors. Training for the trades, because tradespeople keep everything running. Scientific research and development (aside from weapons and surveillance), because our university can supply all the educated employees these companies need. Hospitality and tourism, because Tucson is so beautiful, culturally rich, and fun. Retirement communities and the infrastructure to support a robust retiree population. Childcare and family housing. Parks and recreation and culture. Reliable, safe, affordable, and extensive public transportation. And a robust small business economy, supported by a local government that encourages entrepreneurs and innovators and that is educated about the importance of diversity in our economic landscape.

Anyone who thinks small business is just a local bookstore, insurance agent, or coffee shop is sadly limited in their understanding of just how much economic activity and citizen empowerment is generated by genuinely ethical companies with fewer than 1000 or even 100 employees. Yes, let's be choosy, but let's be smart about it too.