[Vision2020] The Future

[Andreas Schou]

Chris --

Though not all big-box stores are drains on the economy -- CostCo and
Bed, Bath, and Beyond are good examples -- some big-box development
demonstrably has negative effects on local economies, especially small
economies. Retail pays less and has fewer benefits than any sector of
the economy than food service.

We cannot compete with Spokane as a nexus for big-box development. Any
attempt to do so w idiocy -- we don't have the population base to
support it. Unless we bring in more shoppers from outside Moscow --
and we don't have any coherent plan to do so -- the only town that
will show any net economic benefit from another Wal-Mart is
Bentonville, AR. We cannot have an economy that cannibalizes itself:
fewer, lower-paying jobs replacing local retail* will simply Hoover
money out of the local economy -- and that's not even including the
bribes in tax write-offs it would require to make them come.

Retail cannot save Latah county. Relying on retail is a sucker's bet.

-- ACS