[Spam] Re: [Vision2020] Unstable, Doomed Model Cannot Protect Our Qualityof Life

jeanlivingston jeanlivingston at turbonet.com
Fri Mar 3 17:13:09 PST 2006


NOte that was off-liist and not sent to decker.  Not sure why I included Jeff, but his inter-change with BJ was why, maybe.  BDL
-----Original message-----
From: "Matt Decker" mattd2107 at hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 02 Mar 2006 14:56:30 -0800
To: joekc at adelphia.net
Subject: [Spam] Re: [Vision2020] Unstable,Doomed Model Cannot Protect Our Qualityof Life

> 
> Joe,
> 
> What is fair or a reasonable amount of growth to the MCA? Would they 
> consider 150 houses a year too much? Would 50 or 5 be too many? You say that 
> The MCA is about smart and thought out growth, but I have yet(at least on 
> V2020) to hear what specific answers that is. Could you please reflect on 
> what is best for Moscow according to the MCA.
> 
> Thank you,
> Matt
> 
> >From: joekc at adelphia.net
> >To: Jeff Harkins <jeffh at moscow.com>
> >CC: vision2020 at moscow.com
> >Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Unstable, Doomed Model Cannot Protect Our 
> >Qualityof Life
> >Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2006 16:37:36 -0500
> >
> >Jeff,
> >
> >I respect your expertise in economics. But I majored in mathematics as an 
> >undergraduate and I have a huge problem with the numbers-in-a-box reasoning 
> >that you use below.
> >
> >You seem to think that folks will keep on coming to Moscow whether or not 
> >there are houses for them to purchase. I bet that if we were to stop 
> >building houses as of this moment, eventually the folks would stop coming. 
> >The numbers you note are not predestined. We have some control over growth 
> >in spite of those statistics.
> >
> >Furthermore, you keep sticking to the same old false dilemma: either we 
> >have growth without reflection or we have no growth at all. Of course, 
> >Moscow and Latah County are growing. Of course, we need to find ways to 
> >deal with that growth. Among the MCA board, to use one example, are plenty 
> >of folks who work in real estate, own private businesses, and are otherwise 
> >aware of the growth considerations to which you speak. The MCA, for 
> >instance, is not anti-growth. We are just 
> >anti-growth-at-any-cost-and-without-reflection-on-the-consequences. There 
> >is a difference.
> >
> >Much of the points that you make are persuasive only if you reject the 
> >sincerity of the comments above. This makes any dialogue between us very 
> >difficult. I believe that what you say is what you believe. I ask for the 
> >same level of consideration from you. There are no hidden agendas.
> >
> >--
> >Joe Campbell
> >
> >---- Jeff Harkins <jeffh at moscow.com> wrote:
> >
> >=============
> >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)
> > >
> > >**************************************************************
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >_____________________________________________________
> > >  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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> _____________________________________________________
>  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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