[Vision2020] Alturas again

[B. J. Swanson]

Bill,

Again, I challenge you to state the facts.  You claim Alturas is
"tax-supported."  Tell us "How Much?"  And don't forget to put in your
equation the 80+ jobs in Alturas that contribute over $3.5 million in LOCAL
salaries.  Those salaries that go to pay LOCAL taxes and support many LOCAL
merchants and LOCAL projects like Latah Trail, Palouse Ice Rink, Kenworthy
PAC, Farmers Market and many more.  And the majority of those jobs are
high-tech and many of them are straight out of the University of Idaho
Business Technology Incubator.  Would you prefer that those jobs and
salaries went elsewhere?  What's your point?

B. J. Swanson



-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]On
Behalf Of bill london
Sent: Sunday, September 21, 2003 9:52 AM
To: Vision2020
Subject: [Vision2020] Alturas again

If you care about the future of the Alturas technology park, consider
attending the public meeting of Moscow's Planning and Zoning Commission
set for October 8 at 7:30pm at City Council chambers.
The P&Z will be considering a rewrite of the zoning rules about Alturas
(and its Research, Technology, Office zone).  A copy of those changes is
attached.
And surprise, the rules are being rewritten to allow more of what has
already happened.  Originally, Alturas was supposed to be a
tax-supported park designed to preserve local high-tech jobs.  Now,
Alturas has become a tax-supported mini-mall.
Day care centers, accountants, lawyers and even cafeterias, retail
stores and coffee shops will be OK under the new rules.
So, it will be official--as Alturas expands, Moscow taxpayers will be
paying for  further sprawl and for siphoning businesses out of downtown.
Already half the businesses at Alturas are not high-tech startups, but
instead are businesses that have moved from downtown to that place.
This will only encourage more of the same.
BL