[Vision2020] City Budget Hearings

[B. J. Swanson]

Please mark your calendars and attend two City budget hearings this week:

 

·         Monday, Aug. 4, 7:00 PM, City Council Chambers:  Moscow City
Budget Hearing

 

·         Thursday, Aug. 7, 7:00 AM, City Council Chambers:  Urban Renewal
Agency Budget Hearing

 

I am opposed to the continuing expansion of City government as demonstrated
by the $55 million budget.  According to The Daily News, the City budget
five years ago was $35 million.  That is a 9.5% annual growth rate.  I doubt
your income or budget have expanded at that high rate.  The budget includes
three new positions.  The proposed City Economic Development Director at a
cost of $86,000 is certainly redundant considering we already have the
Moscow Chamber of Commerce, Latah Economic Development Council, Clearwater
Economic Development Association and many local realtors.  In the difficult
economy we are experiencing now, this is not a good time to up-staff and
expand City government.  

 

The Urban Renewal Agency wants to increase administration to $30,000 and to
fund one-half of the $86,000 economic development director’s position.  The
URA wants to fund this expansion by using taxes from the Alturas Urban
Renewal District.  They also want Alturas to loan money to fund
administration of the Legacy Crossing Urban Renewal District.  Please tell
the URA not to do this.  Instead of up-staffing, increasing administration
and loaning funds to Legacy crossing, that money could be preserved to close
out the Alturas Urban Renewal Taxing District within two years and return
the approximately $300,000 annual tax revenue to lower the property tax
bills of all property owners in Moscow and Latah County.  If the URA
continues to use Alturas funds for Legacy Crossing, increasing
administration, etc., there will be no benefit to the property taxpayers
until 2016, if then.  The Urban Renewal Agency has not demonstrated prudent
financial management of previous projects including 200+% cost overruns on
completing Alturas Phase II and purchasing undeveloped land at developed
prices.   As another example, at the July 24 URA meeting, Pat Raffee, the
URA consultant said Beebe & Germer offered to sell the URA four acres in the
Legacy Crossing District for $20 million.  She said that was too high but
suggested the URA buy an option on it.   These examples do not give me
confidence in the URA’s management of our tax dollars.

 

I am not opposed to Legacy Crossing if it is properly managed.  It is highly
unlikely in these economic times that Legacy Crossing will be developed at
all in the near future.  Forcing some kind of development before its time
will only result in failure. URA consultant Pat Raffee estimated the first
project might be 2½  years away.  Again, now is not the time to up-staff and
add administration at the expense of property taxpayers.

 

The URA budget hearing is at 7:00 AM on Thursday, Aug 7.  The URA
Commissioners say they want public input on the budget, but the 7:00 AM
meetings are not well attended.  If you have an opinion on the budget,
please do attend the hearing or contact one of the URA Commissioners:

 

John McCabe,  john.p.mccabe at wellsfargo.com

John Weber, jweber at ci.moscow.id.us

Brandy Sullivan, brando at moscow.com

Robin Woods, rwoods at alturasanalytics.com

Stephen Drown, srdrown at uidaho.edu

Jack Nelson, jnelson at latah.id.us

Tom Lamar, lamar at pcei.org

 

These are very uncertain economic times.  With oil prices at record highs
and resulting high food prices, layoffs, etc., citizens are tightening their
budgets, the City and the URA should do the same.  Please tell them this is
not the time to increase staff and administration at taxpayer expense.

 

B. J. Swanson

 

 

 

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