Watch for the $2 bills

An Economic Stimulus Program from the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce

By Anthony Clark
Sun business editor

The Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce has come up with its own economic stimulus plan. The chamber gave away $8,000 in $2 bills during its Business Showcase on Thursday.

The idea behind the "Pay the 2s Forward" promotion is to put some cash into the local economy and hope businesses and consumers take notice of the $2 bills with chamber post-it notes attached, according to chamber President Brent Christensen.

"The thought was we can sit idly by and wait for the experts and talking heads to tell us when the economy's up-tick is going to start again, but we wanted to take matters into our own hands and make sure that it happened," he said. "Nothing spends better than cash and $2 bills are uncommon enough that people are going to sit up and take notice and realize this is something the chamber made happen and chamber members are making a point of spending locally in our economy."

Those who attended the showcase at the Best Western Gateway Grand were asked to fill out a survey and pay $10 in return for 10 $2 bills, doubling their money.

The chamber is asking its member businesses to provide discounts or matches in return for the $2 bills. Participating members are going to be listed at the chamber's Web site at www.gainesvillechamber.com/ESP.aspx/.

Glaeser Realty held hourly drawings for $50 worth of $2 bills.

"We're going to be putting more $2 bills in the economy and paying it forward," said Mitch Glaeser. "Every dollar you're able to put into the local economy has a direct benefit of about 2 times that. This is a way to get the economy going in a small part."

Banks and businesses that receive the bills in the coming days are asked to keep them in circulation, Christensen said. "Give them out as change so people can really feel the ripple effect throughout the economy," he said.

The chamber is also hoping to hear where the bills are turning up and who's using them as they are circulated. E-mail communications @gainesvillechamber.com.

The chamber funded the promotion through its general fund, ordering the bills through SunTrust Bank.

Visit http://www.gainesvillechamber.com/ESP.aspx for more information and a complete list of participating member businesses.