[Vision2020] Moscow Has Smart Growth

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (January 10, 2007) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with thanks to
Terri Schmidt -

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Moscow has smart growth 

A recent letter to the editor (Opinion, Jan. 2) criticized Moscow Mayor
Nancy Chaney for opposing the proposed shopping center just over the border
in Washington. The shopping center would not generate any taxes for Moscow
because it would be located in Washington. It is planned to be seven times
the size of the Palouse Mall. Building this center would increase water
consumption from our already strained aquifer, and also would limit the
small town retail diversity we now enjoy. 

The profits from locally owned stores are reinvested back into our
community. A large percentage of the profits from big national box stores
end up far from here. Whitman County may get some extra tax money, but there
are a finite number of consumers in the area, so much of the income derived
would likely come at the expense of Moscow and Pullman. 

The proposed development is not a great solution for Whitman County either.
As the county grows, expenses will grow along with it. The proposed shopping
center would increase the need for expensive infrastructure. At one time
people in Moscow thought if we had a shopping mall, the taxes generated
would solve our money problems. Now we have two malls and a Wal-Mart and the
city still struggles to make the budget stretch. Statistics show the larger
a town grows, the higher the taxes are. The out-of-town developers are the
ones who will reap the benefits. 

Moscow does not have a no-growth policy, it has a smart-growth policy. I am
very grateful that we have a mayor and a City Council who intelligently
consider the type of growth we encourage. 

Terri Schmidt, Moscow

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you, Ms. Schmidt, for distinguishing the difference between "no
growth" and "smart growth", a difference some locals are struggling to
perceive.

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"Don't tell me why I can't.
Show me how I can."

- Author Unknown