[Vision2020] Tribune uncovers new Moscow pro-growth group

[Jeff Harkins]

Mr. Hansen,

The London post was a bit misleading.  I am to 
understand that the GMA provided a press release 
to both the Trib and the Daily News (probably the 
Latah Eagle as well) - seems to be accurate since 
the DNews ran their story on GMA the same day.

At 12:18 PM 5/20/2006, you wrote:
>Excellent post, Bill.  Thank you.
>
>Now that a newly organized community “alliance” 
>has been created, just what is the mission of this alliance?
>
> From the Greater Moscow Alliance website at:
>
><http://www.greatermoscow.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=26>http://www.greatermoscow.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=26
>
>“Mission
>
>The Greater Moscow Alliance is an organization 
>comprised of citizens of Latah County who would 
>like to see the Greater Moscow community 
>continue to thrive. Our mission is to actively 
>participate in local decisions to ensure Moscow 
>and Latah County remains a great place to live, work and do business.
>
>The purpose of our organization is to make sure 
>our collective voice is heard on issues of 
>importance to the community; and to strategize 
>in a manner that will effectively represent our goals and vision.
>
>In fulfilling our mission, we strive to do the following:
>
>1]  Maintain community vitality and support free enterprise.
>
>2]  Respect, protect and endorse the rights of private property owners.
>
>3]  Maintain awareness of community issues, 
>their process and status in regards to governmental actions.
>
>4]  Educate our members and the community on 
>ordinances and other issues affecting Moscow and 
>Latah County and to provide balanced information.
>
>5]  Encourage voter participation.
>
>6]  Encourage and endorse candidates for local 
>offices/elections to our members.
>
>7]  Encourage healthy growth and promote beneficial economic development.
>
>8]  To create balanced, fair treatment of issues.”
>
>[I added the numbers]
>
>I totally agree with the general intent of this 
>alliance.  Informing the general public of laws 
>that affect them (as reflected in #4) is important, however . . .
>
>Yes.  This is a political entity, complete with 
>agendas.  This alliance can discuss healthy 
>growth, rights of private property owners, and 
>presentation of balanced information until the 
>next millennium.  Everybody agrees on those 
>issues.  Those issues are not truly debatable.
>
>The Greater Moscow Alliance (GMA) reveals its 
>political card in #6 – “Encourage and ENDORSE 
>[emphasis is mine] candidates for local 
>offices/elections to our members.”  Suffice it 
>to say that GMA will only endorse those 
>candidates that are in lockstep with GMA leadership desires.
>
>I will, however, admit that I agree with #8 of 
>the GMA’s stated mission – “To create balanced, fair treatment of issues.”
>
>This brings up another question:
>
>Just what are GMA’s positions concerning issues of interest:
>
>Their website identifies three key community issues that impact upon Moscow:
>
>1)  Thompson rezone
>
>2)  New Saint Andrews CUP (Conditional Use Permit)
>
>3)  Police Union
>
>Yet, when you access that portion of the GMA 
>website that relates to these three “Issues of 
>Interest”, all responses are blank:
>
><http://www.greatermoscow.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=6&id=16&Itemid=47>http://www.greatermoscow.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=6&id=16&Itemid=47
>
>How is Moscow to interpret that?
>
>Your thoughts, Moscow?
>
>Tom Hansen
>Moscow, Idaho
>
>
>
>"If not us, who?
>If not now, when?"
>
>- Unknown
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