[Vision2020] no superwalmart -- Tribune report

Tue Jun 20 05:21:31 PDT 2006

Matt,

Read my previous posts and columns on why it is unlikely that the 
Hawkin's development will be built (water supply) and the difference 
in taxation structures between Idaho and Washington that diminishes 
the importance of sales tax revenues in the general scheme of things 
in Moscow. Sure, there would be an increase in property tax revenue 
if a building was built in Moscow, but that can be of a very fleeting 
nature  witness the dark Tidyman's building and the 33% reduction in 
assessed value now that it is dark. That spiral down will continue 
each year it is empty as part of the commercial property assessment 
formula is an "income test".

Mark

At 10:25 PM -0700 6/19/06, Matt Decker wrote:
>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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