[Vision2020] Dispel the anti-growth myth

[Mark Solomon]

Donovan,

A few corrections: The City Council approved the rezone of the 40 
acres behind the Palouse Mall; the county rejected Naylor Farms, not 
the city; Home Depot never applied for anything from the city when 
their internal corporate troubles caught up to them (they were 
negotiating with the UI to build on the UI land the city rezoned 
behind the mall, see first point); Tidyman's went out of business.

I agree with you re property taxes. If the Idaho Legislature would do 
something about the billions of dollars in tax exempt sales they've 
authorized, maybe there would be enough money to fund local 
government and schools without burdening the property tax payer. Or 
better yet, rescind Kempthorne's corporate income tax giveaway and 
the timber land property tax giveaway.

m.

At 7:04 PM -0700 10/29/07, Donovan Arnold wrote:
>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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