[Vision2020] In Support of Alturas Park

[Mike Curley]

Good question.  I'll take a shot, Dan.  I don't want to use any business as an example 
because it isn't the "fault" of any business that it did what the city allowed it to do.  So, I'll 
use a realistic hypothetical.  Let's say a consultant to the meat packing industry in an 
existing Moscow business zone decides it's time to move.  She has 9 employees.  She 
pays tax either because she owns the building her business occupies or through her 
rent/least payment.  The zoning for Alturas allows her to move there EVEN THOUGH 
she provides no support to any research or technology business there.

When she moves, her taxes (except for the part to the school district) no longer come 
to the city.  They are diverted to pay the bond against Alturas.  Loser No. 1 are the 
citizens--they lost whatever those taxes would have funded.  Not a single new job was 
created, so no new economic advantage was gained.  Loser No. 2 is the landowner 
where the business WOULD HAVE built (or located in an existing space) its new office 
IF it hadn't moved to Alturas.  Loser No. 3, and to a smaller degree, are those 
businesses located near where the consultant WOULD HAVE located.  The lunch 
counter, coffee shop, print shop, etc. where the consultant's staff would have dined, 
drank, copied, etc.   True, might be good for their counterparts located near Alturas, but 
do we want to PUBLICLY fund that happening, or should the market take care of that.  
Jack Wenders, where are you now...

Dan, please again understand that I AGREE that Alturas is/was a good addition to the 
city.  That is not the question.  What we do with it in the future and by what 
mechanisms, and TO WHAT INTENT--those are the current issues as I see them.

Mike Curley


On 12 Nov 03, at 12:08, Dan Carscallen wrote:

From:           	"Dan Carscallen" <predator75@moscow.com>
To:             	<vision2020@moscow.com>
Subject:        	RE: [Vision2020] In Support of Alturas Park
Date sent:      	Wed, 12 Nov 2003 12:08:44 -0800

> Barbara asked:  
> ". . . please give me the name of local business people that state their
> business has been hurt by Alturas or the RTO zone."
> 
> 
> I'd like to see this list myself.  It seems to me, that regardless of
> whatever zoning mistakes may have been made, Alturas has been a good
> addition to the city of Moscow.  I see a lot bigger wastes of money than
> Alturas in this city that people don't seem to get near as shook up
> about.
> 
> Dan Carscallen
> 
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