[Vision2020] no superwalmart -- Tribune report

[Matt Decker]

Mark,

How was the party? Was everyone giving high fives to the fact that Wally 
world is gone? Did we all have a good time since this was the best for 
Moscow? I myself laugh in dismay wondering why we push these companies 100 
feet over the border.

Now the new rumor is Walmart is trying to move in with the Hawkins 
development. Well hey you won. You might have managed to push them over to 
Whitman county, allowing hundreds of thousands of dollars of tax revenue to 
be spent over there. My kids will hopefully have a new school by the time 
they are 16, but not at this rate.

Face it Mark, tax money is crossing the border. Why shouldn't we join in?

Matt


>From: Mark Solomon <msolomon at moscow.com>
>To: Jeff Harkins <jeffh at moscow.com>, "Bill London" <london at moscow.com>;,    
>     vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] no superwalmart -- Tribune report
>Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2006 07:13:00 -0700
>
>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.
>>>=====================================================
>>>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>>>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.                  
>>>http://www.fsr.net                                
>>>mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>>>====================================================


>=====================================================
>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>                http://www.fsr.net
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>====================================================

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