[Vision2020] real economic development in Moscow

[jeanlivingston]

Darrell,


It is nice to have you here, offering observations.  


That being said, have you any solutions to offer?  How do you propose
to change that "anti-business" perception, that you say may have no
basis in reality, (though you don't say it doesn't, either)?  One
group that is perceived as "anti-business" is struggling mightily to
correct that misperception, www.moscowcivic.org .  I would assume
that you would agree that is a step in the right direction and would
be a positive means of helping to eliminate the (I believe) eroneous
anti-business charges.  Is it helpful to have pillars of the business
community running advertisements ad nauseum touting our community as
anti-business?  


How would you as Chamber E.D. propose to eliminate this "anti-business
'perception' " ?


Bruce



-----Original message-----
From: "Darrell Keim"keim153 at gmail.com
Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:03:05 -0700
To: "Bruce and Jean Livingston" jeanlivingston at turbonet.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] real economic development in Moscow

> Bruce,
> Responses below:
> 
> 
> On 10/25/07, Bruce and Jean Livingston wrote:
> >
> > Darrell, good to hear from you again.
> >
> > I don't think I disagree with you on any point in this post. And I
don't
> > see any point you make as inconsistent with my personal feelings
about the
> > best future direction of the city.
> >
> 
> I really wasn't seeking to be inflammatory with the post, more
> informational. A lot of people don't consider the business
environment and
> its impact on our town when they talk quality of life.
> 
> 
> > I recognize the existence here of ahealthy retail economy and a
vibrant
> > downtown, and I acknowledge that they contribute to our quality of
life.
> > Are you suggesting that either our local retail or business
climate is not
> > healthy? If so, what is unhealthy and how would you propose to
make things
> > healthier?
> >
> 
> I've talked to alot of people about this of late, and got a lot of
> opinions. One of the goals I've set for myself as the new Chamber
E.D. is
> to meet with several of our member businesses each week. I ask them
a
> variety of questions, and always include this one: "What do you
think is
> the biggest issue facing Moscow business?" Over half have told me
they
> think it is the cities anti-business reputation, be it real or
simply
> perceived.
> 
> Even if the reputation is simply something perceived, with no basis
in
> reality, it is animpediment to business that we need to be concerned
about.
> 
> 
> >
> > Bruce
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > *From:* Darrell Keim 
> > *To:* Tom Hansen 
> > *Cc:* Tom Hansen ; v2020 
> > *Sent:* Thursday, October 25, 2007 2:22 PM
> > *Subject:* Re: [Vision2020] real economic development in Moscow
> >
> >
> > Bill et al:
> >
> > I was at the MCA's recent economic forum. I found it to be very
> > interesting in both what was addressed, and what wasn't. I felt
the
> > panelists did a fair job of describing what aspects of Moscow drew
them to
> > locate here. Nice parks, short/no commute, culture, universities,
etc. If
> > pushed, I think the panelists would summarize whatbrought them as
quality
> > of life. Also mentioned as reasons for coming to Moscow were
Alturas and
> > the Small Business Incubator.
> >
> > I liked what BJ Swanson had to say about the importance of
bringing in
> > higher paying jobs (The example in her case being tech. jobs.
Other types
> > of high paying jobs create the same phenomenon). Essentially, she
advocated
> > for working to bring in higher paying jobs, and that retail
businesses would
> > follow. I think I can accurately quote her as saying "You can't
build an
> > economy on retail jobs alone."
> >
> > Or, as Stu Scott said at another recent economic forum
(paraphrasing
> > again), some businesses re-circulate and slightly magnify the
dollar. To
> > truly grow the economy you've got to manufacture something. (The
same forum
> > mentioned something like $1.15going into the economy for every $1
spent at
> > a local chain store. And, $1.25 going into the local economy for
every
> > dollar spent at a locally owned merchant. I digress...)
> >
> > I can agree with almost all of the above discussed at the forum. I
would
> > add that Moscow has traditionally "manufactured" education and
agriculture.
> > The UI and agriculture have been our biggest "factories." And,
just as BJ's
> > model predicts, those high paying education and ag. "factories"
brought in
> > what we currently have for a business climate.
> >
> > Now for the part that I found interesting because of its absence:
> > How is quality of life defined?
> > How does our local business climate fit into the quality of life
picture?
> >
> > *The above, it seems to me, is the crux of our current
civicdebate.*
> >
> > So, how is quality of life defined?
> > Ask a hundred people and get a hundred different answers.
> >
> > The panelists listed as quality of life indicators such things as:
parks,
> > walkability, little traffic. Quality of life must have something
else to
> > it, too. If quality of life is ONLY the items listed by the forum,
then I
> > humbly suggest that Garfield and Oakesdale also fit the bill quite
nicely to
> > become hotbeds of technological development.
> >
> > Hopefully you understand the above was sarcasm.
> >
> > I believe there is another, as yet unmentioned, aspect of quality
of
> > life. I submit that what makes Moscow's quality of life so good is
the
> > great combination we have of parks, traffic, etc; with our engaged
> > citizenry, and good local economy.
> >
> > How does our local business climate fit into the quality of life
picture?
> > In a lot of ways, our existing businesses are what make our
quality of
> > life possible:
> > Businesses provide the jobs that allow people to live here.
> > Businesses pay taxes helping to make our parks and infrastructure
> > possible. (Incidentally, the businesses also make it possible for
the people
> > that live here to pay taxes.)
> > Businesses make it possible for us to get our "necessities"
locally.
> > I'm sure others can come up with more to add to the list.
> >
> > Smart businesses looking to locate here realize they won't be
operating in
> > a vacuum. They look at ALL of our local business and social
environment
> > before deciding to grow here. They look from a business
perspective at our
> > city government, infrastructure, parks,ecology, businesses already
present,
> > etc.
> >
> > Smart businesses also look at a bigger picture beyond "bottom
line"
> > items. They look from a social perspective to see if their
employees will
> > be happy living in the community, again looking at our city
government,
> > infrastructure, parks, ecology, businesses already present, etc.
Both
> > perspectives must be promising for it to be a strong match.
> >
> > Moscow would be unattractive to high wage paying employers if we
did not
> > already have a strong mix of local businesses and retail stores.
> >
> > To put it simply, prospective businesses are looking to grow their
new
> > "factories" on the shoulders of what is already here.
> >
> > I strongly believe in working to bring in high paying jobs. To do
so we
> > must be aware ofwhat about our existing structure is going to be
an
> > attractor, and we must work to keep it healthy.
> >
> > Later,
> > Darrell
> >
> >
> > > R-
> > > You missed the point.
> > > These high-tech jobs can go anywhere. All towns want them.
> > > The entrepreneurs can be choosy, and they are choosy. They want
towns
> > with
> > > a high quality of life.
> > > If Moscow sacrifices its high quality of life for (what you
describe as)
> > > "almost anything that will provide jobs, increase the tax base
and
> > improve
> > > the overall economy", then we lose what now attracts these
high-tech
> > jobs.
> > > You just can not have it both ways.
> > > I want to live in a town that maintains its high quality of life
and
> > >therefore is attractive to high-tech jobs -- not a town that has
no
> > > standards but goes for any growth.
> > > BL
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
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> > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> > =======================================================
> >
> >
> > =======================================================
> > List services made available by First Step Internet,
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> > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> > =======================================================
> >
> 
>
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