[Vision2020] Unstable, Doomed Model Cannot Protect Our
Quality of Life
Jeff Harkins
jeffh at moscow.com
Wed Mar 1 09:37:46 PST 2006
The hysteria and hyperbole (and/or lack of
knowledge) that some folks use to advance their
arguments is quite interesting - and indicative
of how folks would carry out their
responsibilities as a decision maker for the
local area. Consider the quote from Antone
Holmquist below (highlighled in italics) and
apparently published in the Lewiston Morning Tribune a few days ago.
Basic mathematics implies a result quite
different from the conclusion reached by Mr.
Holmquist. According to the Moscow Chamber of
Commerce, the population demographics for Latah County and Moscow are:
Population Growth
City County
1980 16,513 28,749
1990 18,422 31,314
1995 20,555 33,050
1998 21,500 32,051
2000 21,291 34,935
2005 21,700 35,218
The average annual growth rate for Moscow is .7%
The average annual growth rate for Latah is .6%
If we were fortunate enough to grow by 1% for the
next 100 years, the population for the City and the County would be:
City 58,695
County 95,258
If we use the historical growth rate of .7% and
.6%, our population in 100 years would be:
City 43,592
County 64,056
It just seems irresponsible to argue that if our
population doubles in the next 100 years, that we
are doomed here. The fact is, if we maintain our
current growth rate, we are faced with the
challenge of finding homes for about 350 folks
(say about 150 families) each year for the
foreseeable future. Of course, about a third of
those would presumably settle in the rural towns
of the County. Some are arguing that finding
homes for about 100 or so families each year in Moscow is "too much" growth?
I hope those attending the Moscow New Cities
forum will keep these numbers in mind. As a
benchmark for comparison, you might consider the
State of Rhode Island. RI enjoys a land area of
1,045 sq miles (they also have about 500 sq miles
in water). The population is about
1,048,319. If you have visited Rhode Island, you
know that they have managed to preserve their
growth, their green spaces, and their rural area quite nicely.
Latah County has a land area of approx. 1,077 square miles.
The panic, fear, disdain for growth, loathe for
local individual and business economic prosperity
and general hysterics by some "progressives " is
simply unwarranted. The facts do not support
their histrionics. It does make one wonder exactly what the agenda is?
Now, as I close, please read again the next
editorial appended to this email (by Ms.
McGovern) - note the bold italicized
statement. if you have lived on the Palouse as
long as I have, you will recall that the same
arguments were made about the current WalMart
store. Does the fear-based argument stand up?
My challenge to you - just as the residents of
Latah County welcomed those of us that were not
born here, to live and raise our families here,
and share in the rich bounty offered by the
Palouse area, so it is incumbent upon us to
welcome those 150 to 200 families each year to
live with us - with the same freedoms we
enjoyed. IMHO, that is a heritage worth preserving.
At 12:00 PM 2/25/2006, you wrote:
> >From this weekend's (February 26-26, 2006) Daily News with a special vote of
>thanks to Antone Holmquist and Eileen McGovern -
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Unsustainable, Doomed Model
>
>B.J. Swanson has come under fire for her opinion on the proposed Wal-Mart
>Supercenter and some are calling for her head. I say bully for her. As a
>well-respected local banker, her learned opinion should be worth a great
>deal.
>
>Some local economists have trumpeted the economic mantra of "consumer
>choice" and bemoan Moscow's 1 percent annual growth.
>
>Basic mathematics, however, reveals that a 1 percent annual growth in Moscow
>would certainly fill every nook and cranny from Moscow Mountain to Paradise
>Ridge and beyond within an average lifetime and such growth is just frankly
>unsustainable worldwide.
>
>Last year I embarked on a road trip from Fort Worth, Texas to northern
>Arkansas. This is the heart and soul of Wal-Mart and other big-box stores.
>An awful lot of these towns have virtually no business district and the
>towns look shriveled up. I drove into Bill Clinton's birthplace and found
>nearly a ghost town.
>
>Wal-Mart and the other huge chains have sucked the soul from these towns.
>As a young college student studying economics I suspected the basic economic
>premise of growth, growth that was crammed down my throat was not quite
>right and 35 years later I know it is an unsustainable and doomed model.
>
>Antone G. Holmquist
>Moscow
>
>------------------------
>
>Protect Our Quality of Life
>
>Moscow, Idaho, Heart of the Arts, home of the Farmers Market - nestled
>cozily in the undulating Palouse. Moscow is a community unique in its
>ability to combine small-town familiarity and warmth with the enriching,
>energizing force of the University of Idaho. This has been Moscow's
>strength for many years and now it is under attack.
>
>Wal-Mart, the largest corporation in the world, and persistent violator of
>human rights both locally and globally, wants to gouge out a chunk of the
>Palouse and replace it with a sprawling, concrete Goliath of commerce - the
>Wal-Mart Supercenter.
>
>The super center is likely to alter the character of Moscow to something
>more gray and generic. It will initiate urban sprawl, threaten both
>downtown businesses and the potential for sustainable economic growth, and
>have a negative impact on the local environment - all of which makes Moscow
>a less attractive place to live.
>
>Whether or not this assault on our quality of life occurs has a lot to do
>with the City Council's answer to the question: How to zone the area
>Wal-Mart wants to invade. If it is zoned a mixed-use area, Moscow will be
>protected from the corporate onslaught.
>
>Please contact your City Council members and let them know how important it
>is to this community that they zone that area mixed-use in order to protect
>our quality of life.
>
>Eileen McGovern
>Moscow
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Thank you so very, very much Antone and Eileen for expressing a true sense
>of community.
>
>Take care, Moscow.
>
>Tom Hansen
>Moscow, Idaho
>
>**************************************************************
>
>"A bad cause will ever be supported by bad means and bad men."
>
>- Thomas Paine (English Writer, 1737-1809)
>
>**************************************************************
>
>
>
>_____________________________________________________
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>¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
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