[Vision2020] Dispel the anti-growth myth

[Donovan Arnold]

I think the image of Moscow being anti-business is an accurate perception. And it isn't new, it has just gotten worse. 
   
  I am sure that many businesses have come to Moscow, even in recent years. However, we are also losing a lot of businesses and are blocking many of them from coming into Moscow. We also prevent businesses from expanding and hiring more people. 
   
  I have attended few city council meetings, but many of them were about blocking some type of business or another. I remember the city council rejecting an entire expansion of businesses behind the Palouse Mall. Many local businesses have been pushed out of the Palouse Mall and the city has done nothing to protect them. 
   
  And as we all know, Moscow rejected a Wal-Mart Supercenter, Naylor Farms, and Home Depot. Likewise it lost Toyota, Tidyman's, and several wonderful restaurants, and a locally owned repair shop in additions to a 1/2 downtown and in the Palouse Mall. 
   
  I do agree with Alturas as being an example of doing "The Right Thing" to get a business in. But as I recall Aaron Ament was against the expansion of that building, and more tax dollars were put into that building than we have received in return. 
   
  I think the biggest anti-business incentives for Moscow are its property taxes. Moscow's taxes make Moscow an unaffordable city that is unfriendly to businesses. 
   
  Best,
   
  Donovan
   
  

Bev Bafus <bevbafus at verizon.net> wrote:
  Let's add a few expanding businesses. Northwest Management, where I work,
is currently doubling the size of our office. Northwest River Supplies took
over the Tidyman's building.

Any other expanding businesses?

Bev


-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of Saundra Lund
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 5:26 PM
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Dispel the anti-growth myth


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"

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List services made available by First Step Internet, 
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http://www.fsr.net 
mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
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