[Vision2020] no superwalmart -- Tribune report

[Mark Solomon]

Jeff,

I never said I was not concerned about the loss of sales tax dollars. 
I did say that due to the ID sales tax distribution formula and the 
difference in tax structures between WA and ID, the weight of sales 
tax revenue in the decision to approve or disapprove a motor business 
rezone in Moscow was a minor part of the issues to be considered, 
especially as the Pullman supercenter was expected to siphon off the 
Pullman trade that had been coming to Moscow.  Let's remember that we 
were not given a choice between building a store in Pullman or 
Moscow: the Pullman store was well on the path toward approval while 
the Moscow store had not even been heard of. And to answer your 
question ahead of time: I would have opposed a Moscow supercenter 
even if it was the first out of the blocks as we already have a 
Walmart and a Winco.

Beyond that, hats off to Schweitzer for building their business in 
the Palouse. We all benefit.

Mark S.

At 12:27 AM -0700 6/18/06, Jeff Harkins wrote:
>Commissars
>
>Yes, this was disappointing news - the loss of this retail 
>investment is tragic.  But, perhaps WalMart will reconsider the 
>Pullman location and move the supercenter store to the corridor (and 
>close the current Moscow location).
>
>Grocery patrons can then enjoy sales-tax-free grocery purchases - 
>and get all the shopping benefits of a supercenter - without 
>actually having to have one in Moscow.  I recall Solomon and others 
>not concerned about loss of sales tax revenue since there is not a 
>direct return on those dollars to city coffers. 
>
>With the new four-lane road, access should be great and my guess is 
>that there will be more than adequate parking. In all likelihood, 
>WallMart will allow the Moscow-Pullman shuttle bus to use their 
>location for a bus stop.  Proximity to Bike trail will make 
>two-wheel access easy.
>
>I had the chance to visit the new Kennewick WalMart supercenter 
>store a couple of weeks ago.  They had a very good organic food 
>section (most of the produce locally grown - Tri-Cities area) and 
>the best selection of Mexican/Spanish condiments I have seen outside 
>of Mexico.
>
>Oh, that hissing sound you hear - don't worry about it.
>
>Perhaps it passed your noting, but front page of Daily News also 
>carried a story about job growth in Pullman.  It was noteworthy to 
>see that Schweitzer Eng. will expand its manufacturing facilities in 
>Pullman and add another 300 jobs. Presumably the initial infusion of 
>salary dollars to Pullman will be approximately $20 MM dollars 
>annually (300 jobs at $65,000).  As those salaries are converted 
>into product (all of which are exported utility grid and related 
>components), the gross effect to the Pullman area could exceed $50 
>MM annually - as a point of reference, that is about $15 to $20 MM 
>higher than the total annual gross production of agriculture in 
>Latah County.
>
>Meanwhile, our own local brain trust is busily crafting their vision 
>of the ultimate planned economy ... high rise condos and apartments 
>within one mile of downtown?  Mixed use neighborhoods with easy 
>access shopping, electric car repair and laundramats - ???????? Will 
>neighborhood taverns be allowed???
>
>  ... and Beebe withdrew his proposal for Grain Elevator Condos????
>
>I wonder if the town center will be paved in red bricks?
>
>
>At 04:09 PM 6/16/2006, you wrote:
>
>
>>Wal-Mart shelves Moscow super center
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>By ELAINE WILLIAMS
>>of the Tribune
>>
>>Wal-Mart has put plans for a super center in Moscow on the back burner.
>>
>>Wal-Mart will not pursue a location on the southeast corner of 
>>Mountain View Road and Highway 8, east of a former Tidyman's site 
>>and near Eastside Marketplace, said Karianne Fallow, a spokeswoman 
>>for Wal-Mart in Boise.
>>
>>"Wal-Mart has decided to re-evaluate our opportunities for a super 
>>center in Moscow,'' Fallow said in a Thursday announcement.
>>
>>"While we're fully committed to continuing to serve our customers 
>>on the Palouse, we can't continue to delay our relocation plans at 
>>this time,'' Fallow said.
>>
>>Wal-Mart will continue to operate its existing Moscow store, Fallow said.
>>
>>Wal-Mart will also seek to open a 223,000-square-foot super center 
>>on Bishop Boulevard in Pullman, Fallow said.
>>
>>That project has been appealed by Pullman Alliance for Responsible 
>>Development in Whitman County Superior Court.
>>
>>And Wal-Mart will also look for alternative super center sites in 
>>Moscow, Fallow said. "We still continue to view Pullman and Moscow 
>>as two very distinct markets.''
>>
>>Fallow said Wal-Mart has no plans to build a super center in 
>>Lewiston at this time. Rumors about such a store have been 
>>circulating in Lewiston for months.
>>
>>Wal-Mart's decision is directly related to action taken by the 
>>Moscow City Council last month, Fallow said.
>>
>>The panel rejected a request to rezone 77 acres from 
>>agriculture-forestry to motor business, a designation that could 
>>have opened the door for a number of big-box retailers on the site.
>>
>>At the time, the council indicated that a rezone request for a 
>>lesser amount of property might be acceptable.
>>
>>But Wal-Mart isn't interested in following up, Fallow said. "The 
>>city council has continually changed the rules of the game. And 
>>creating a guessing game for any kind of development is a very 
>>expensive endeavor.''
>>
>>First the land needed to be rezoned and then how much needed to be 
>>rezoned wasn't clear, Fallow said.
>>
>>Then it wasn't possible for the store plans to be reviewed before 
>>the rezone and other parts of the process were settled, Fallow said.
>>
>>Attempts to reach the city's elected officials Thursday afternoon 
>>by e-mail were not successful. All of them were out of town, most 
>>of them attending the Idaho Association of Cities conference in 
>>Lewiston.
>>
>>"We certainly respect the decision Wal-Mart has made,'' said Bill 
>>Belknap, assistant city supervisor. "We wish them the best in their 
>>endeavors.''
>>
>>Mark Solomon, a coordinator of No Super Wal-Mart, said Moscow 
>>already has the services a Wal-Mart would have provided at its own 
>>store and in retailers owned by Palouse residents.
>>
>>"It's great news that the most predatory retailer on the planet 
>>won't be gaining any larger presence in Moscow,'' Solomon said.
>>
>>Solomon's group already had a party planned for 7 p.m. tonight at 
>>the 1912 Center in Moscow to mark the previous zoning decision of 
>>the city council. "There will be additional cause to celebrate 
>>Moscow's vitality,'' Solomon said.
>>
>>But Fallow said it's wrong for Moscow residents to view her 
>>employer's decision as a victory. "With a super center comes 
>>additional jobs, additional tax revenue. You name it, there are a 
>>lot of benefits to having a super center in the city.''
>>
>>Solomon disagreed. Wal-Mart jobs replace better paying ones in 
>>existing local businesses, Solomon said.
>>
>>------
>>
>>Williams may be contacted at ewilliam at lmtribune.com or at (208) 
>>743-9600, ext. 261.
>>=====================================================
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