[Vision2020] Dispel the anti-growth myth

Wed Oct 31 22:35:15 PDT 2007

Steven asked me:

  "Yes, the Palouse Mall has kicked out quite a few 'local' businesses  
and replaced them with national chains.  But just what is it that you  
think the city council could have done about that?  How could they  
have protected the businesses?  Personally, I think that what the  
mall did was/is wrong, but as a landlord, I guess that's their  
right.  I don't see how you can drag the city into it."

  Steve, I don't honestly think it has been difficult for the government to impede businesses from succeeding, particularly this local government. 

  There are many things the City Council can do in reaction to the Palouse Mall discriminating against local businesses. I am sure many people can think of better things than I can but here are a few:

  1) Deny any tax breaks
  2) Create a long and underfunded road construction project around all the roads that make mall entrance easy. 
  3) Rezone so no car sales or events may take place at the Mall.
  4) Increase the parking requirements for the mall. 
  5) Raise taxes on national chain stores
  6) Promote Downtown and business elsewhere in Moscow
  7) Prohibit the extension of the building
  8) Enforce every environmental, zoning, fire, safety, and disability access law for the city, state, and federal government. 
  9) Limit water availability
  10) Launch public protests
  11) Create a government information campaign as to what the Mall is doing
  12) Increase fines for violations they frequently break
  13) May the Mayor, President of UI, the City Council, and Latah County Commissioners ask them not to act in such a discriminatory fashion against Moscow owned businesses. 
  14) Change the bus routes not to include the Mall
  15) Place a curfew on teens so they cannot hang out there. 
  16) Enforce no loitering laws at the Mall
  17) Enforce the law strictly on Mall grounds
  18) Give no aid or government assistance to the Mall or any business in the mall
  19) Build a Wal-Mart Super Center on the other side of town so shoppers go the opposite direction.
  20) Write the corporate leaders of the National Chain stores explaining how their presents in a Mall that is discriminatory makes their business look unfriendly to the local community
  21) Prevent any more construction of housing and businesses near or around the site.
  22) Allow noisy smelly industrial plants and construction to take place on all sides of the Mall. 

  Those are my ideas. I am sure others have more and better ones to make the Mall more friendly to the people they are suppose to be supporting, and give them a paycheck. 

  Best,

  Donovan

Steven Basoa <sbasoa at moscow.com> wrote:
  On Oct 29, 2007, at 8:26 PM, Donovan Arnold wrote:

>The City Council didn't approve the rezone when I was there. They 
might have changed their mind at a later date.

The city council (during Mayor Comstocks reign) rejected the UI's 
rezone application twice before (apparently) approving it on the 
third attempt. The reason they rejected it the first time was 
because the representative from the UI was totally inept and clueless 
and could not answer any of the council's questions. At the same 
meeting I believe they passed the Thompson family's request to annex 
the property across from the cemetery. The difference in the two 
presentations was amazing. Shelly Bennett had done her homework, 
presented it well and was able to answer every question thrown her 
way. The UI representative knew virtually nothing about the UI's 
request and was totally unprepared for the meeting. For the second 
application, the UI sent one of their VP's who read a letter from 
President White and repeated the same spiel from the first meeting. 
The VP was also unprepared and unable to answer the same questions. 
I wasn't at the third meeting but I assume they finally sent someone 
who actually had a clue.

>Tidyman's is still in business, just not in Moscow.

I don't know about the Tidyman's chain, but the Moscow store was 
hugely hurt by the arrival of Winco. I'm guessing that was the main 
reason the Moscow store went under.

>True, it was the County, not the City, that pulled the trigger on 
Naylor Farms, but I bet you $100 the City would not have ruled any 
differently and would >have carried on the fight against them is they 
got approval from the County. To a business, it doesn't matter if it 
is the actual city or county killing their >business, it is still 
killing their business when they try to local here. 70% of the county 
is the City.

I really don't see how you can blame the city of Moscow for something 
they might or might not have done. To tar and feather the city 
council for the Naylor Farm issue is silly.

>I think sales tax is the problem with the state government, 
especially on food and OTC drugs and education materials. Moscow has 
to high of taxes >because of school levies. I am not saying education 
isn't worth funding well, but there is breaking point for what many 
people on what they can afford to >give and the MSD has long passed it.

I agree with you about the state taxing food and medicine. And the 
extremely high property taxes, most of which goes to the school 
district.

>Best,
>Donovan

In another email Donovan wrote:
"Many local businesses have been pushed out of the Palouse Mall and 
the city has done nothing to protect them."

Yes, the Palouse Mall has kicked out quite a few 'local' businesses 
and replaced them with national chains. But just what is it that you 
think the city council could have done about that? How could they 
have protected the businesses? Personally, I think that what the 
mall did was/is wrong, but as a landlord, I guess that's their 
right. I don't see how you can drag the city into it.

Take care,
Steven

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