[Vision2020] City Budget Hearings

Sat Aug 2 14:12:52 PDT 2008

Dear BJ and Visionaries,

BJ, I respect your opinion and your service to the City over many years in the area of economic development. Without your support on the State Department of Commerce Community Development Committee, we would not have gained the needed funds for projects at the 1912 Center, among others.

However, I must disagree with your recommendation concerning the Fiscal Year 2009 budget and encourage Visionaries to SUPPORT the addition of a CIty of Moscow Economic Development Director.

Here is part of a Budget Session Memorandum, dated July 16, 2007, that I distributed to the Mayor and Council last summer. The services of an in-house economic development coordinator,  shared by the URA, make even more sense now. Note that this addresses a big problem with the way economic development is managed by the governmental partner: lack of coordination and consistent follow-through. This is part of recognizing the defined roles of the Chamber, LEDA and regional project-oriented organizations like CEDA and retaining appropriate financial support for those groups. These groups do not address the need for public/private partnerships throughout the City over the long haul to coordinate a long-term, consistent community vision for economic development. This vision must incorporate policies that increase local wealth, building on what we have first and reaching out to capital intensive development that enhances job creation. 

The Chamber's role is primarily marketing of the existing business community. LEDC is county-wide and regional, with the very important focus of the Knowledge Corridor in cooperation with UI, WSU and Pullman. The City of Moscow has no coordination for downtown development and revitalization, commercial development on the edges of the CIty, business development incentives, and a sense of how to follow through with the goals of economic development identified in our comprehensive plan revision. Many other communitites have successfully employed talented people in positions like this to make sure the community maintains a hold on its future direction. They have paid for themselves many times over.

"Goal for an In-House Economic Development Director.

The goal of such a director is the development of new jobs for Moscow, to enhance the existing business community and expand and improve business opportunities throughout the City. 

There is constant pressure in and out of Moscow for growth and development. It is clear that if the City does not take a strong, positive stand for 'right-sized growth' that we will not be able to shape our future. We need more and better jobs, in the private sector as well as in higher education. We have a wonderful opportunity to coordinate with LEDC and CEDA to assist at a regional level. However, if we do not have local in-house follow through, we are not working intentionally to create the kind of economic future we want and need for our citizens.

The models exist in many other communities across the northwest, with excellent results for those communities. Eugene, Oregon, another university community, has benefited greatly from having such in-house expertise over the years and is a model to review as we determine the proper job description here.

Now is the time to begin this process because of the Urban Renewal Agency efforts adjacent to downtown Moscow and because of the impact this area can have on the university and the community at large. A partnership with the URA is an obvious choice because our city supervisor's time and talents are already stretched to their limits." 

    from Memorandum to City Council, July 16, 2007 by Linda Pall, City Council Member through January, 2008.

Please support the inclusion of this position in BOTH the city economic development director in the city budget and the URA staff proposal. Providing an Advisory Committee to work with the Director, composed of representatives from LEDC, CEDA, the Chamber, and other stake holders to help the City Council develop policy for economic expansion could answer many of the concerns we citizens have about Council decisions concerning economic development such as the one to advance the competition to Moscow businesses by provision of water across the stateline. 

All the best,

Linda Pall

Former Moscow City Council Member

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: B. J. Swanson 
  To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
  Sent: Saturday, August 02, 2008 8:11 AM
  Subject: [Vision2020] City Budget Hearings

  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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