[Vision2020] Dispel the anti-growth myth

[Saundra Lund]

The letter below appears in today's Daily News -- anyone care to add more to
Ms. Sullivan's list?

Also, do any of you GMAers care to provide a list of new businesses that
came to Moscow during any two-year period of Comstock's reign and a list of
businesses that were denied?

I think it might be interested to have a ***factual*** comparison rather
than just rumors designed to tear down the community.


Saundra Lund


"Dispel the anti-growth myth

I agree that having the "perception" of being anti-growth/anti-business is
harmful to the city of Moscow, and I was driven to find out why that
perception exists when Wayne Krauss expressed concerns and asked, "Why do we
have this perception?" at a recent forum. 

Since the most recently elected council came into office in January 2006,
more than 35 new businesses have opened in Moscow, including Old Navy, Bed,
Bath and Beyond, Cramer's Furniture, Dad's Diner, Marco Polo, Nectar,
Lilliput, Sisters Brew Coffeehouse, West of Paris, Palouse Scoots, Moscow
Bagel and Deli, Anytime Fitness, San Miguels, Sure Shot Sporting Goods,
Subway, and BioTracking just to name a few. Many businesses have expanded
and moved into larger spaces during this time. Only two businesses were
denied by the city and these were both handled in the way that Walter Steed
states he would address a pig farm wanting to locate behind his property;
they were denied in the specific proposed locations in accordance with
zoning regulations. Never did city officials say they were not wanted in
Moscow.

Back to the question posed by Krauss: "Why do we have this perception?" For
the answer, I would look to recent advertisements in the Moscow-Pullman
Daily News for Krauss, Steed and Carscallen in which the headline calls the
current city leadership "anti-growth politicians." I would pay attention to
who is repeating this anti-growth message over and over.

I believe Dan Carscallen is concerned when he says, "Changing the perception
is the thing that needs to happen," and if we can all agree that this is
harmful, we should all agree to stop, to dispel this myth and to promote
Moscow.

Brandy Sullivan, Moscow"