Letters

The recent “The Downtown Dilemma” editorial [May 1] asks the right question: If our streets are overflowing with people in summer, why are our Main Street businesses falling behind?

The answer is not just about parking or nostalgia. It’s about how money flows — and how little of it stays.

Every summer, millions of dollars pour into the South Fork. But, too often, those dollars bypass local businesses entirely — spent at national chains, short-term rentals or online retailers. Even when tourists walk through town, they often browse without buying. The result: Packed sidewalks but struggling storefronts.

One practical, proven response is the creation of a local voucher system — a form of “community spending note” accepted only at participating local businesses. These programs are designed to keep money circulating locally and reward people for shopping downtown.

They are not currencies, nor do they replace the U.S. dollar. From a legal standpoint, the IRS treats these programs as barter or promotional exchanges, provided businesses report revenue properly.

Communities across the United States have implemented them successfully, including BerkShares in Massachusetts and local “buy local” vouchers in dozens of towns.

When well-designed, these systems:

• Encourage tourists to spend with small businesses through modest bonuses or limited-time offers.

• Reward residents for shopping locally in the offseason, when businesses need support most.

• Build shared purpose between merchants, municipalities and consumers.

These vouchers are not just marketing — they’re infrastructure. They transform goodwill into spending, and foot traffic into revenue.

“If you love something, you have to support it. With money.” That line from your editorial captures the challenge perfectly. A local voucher program gives us a concrete way to do exactly that — for Main Street, and for the future of every downtown on the South Fork.

Todd Eisenbud

Water Mill