[Vision2020] Urban Renewal Agency Impact on Taxpayers

mark seman baukunst at moscow.com
Sun Dec 7 22:51:23 PST 2008


Sam & BJ,
Thank you both for your informative posts.  Public awareness - whether
oversight or a personal interest is a very good thing for Communities.
Citizen input is critical to Community function.  Listening and taking
appropriate action is Critical, but the underlying consideration of
Community must guide the Process.

I would like to suggest that many of the URA Board seek-out other
citizens willing to participate in the Community Development Process
(CDP), so as to increase its demographic Diversity, minimize its
concentrated Effort, and maximize its social Benefit.  Concentration
of Power is Detrimental to the Form & Function of Community.  While I
understand the need for intergovenmental & inter-NGO & trans-NGO_GOV
communication, substantial Public participation is a requirement.

I also suggest that while Community may be a form of Socialism; and
while Socialism can be a form of Capitalism; Capitalism can also be a
form of Socialism [to wit: the "bailouts" going on in the US today],
though it is too often an accepted form of Greed.  Significant focus
should be on Community and the Greater Good; to the benefit of a
Majority, but with a strong compassion for the Minority [M&M]; to look
beyond Ourselves and seek to include Others [O&O] in the equation.

Almost antithesis to Wall Street, Main Street is heart & soul; Wall
Street is the calculated & intellectual.  Not exactly Yin & Yang,  or
Black Hole & Solar Life, but All of this is part of our Universe - a
Universe we have yet to fully understand.  Most everyone can sense
that in harmony there is synergy and in dischord there is conflict &
stagnation or decay.  Only narrow & specific venues allow Competition
to supercede Collaboration.  An artificial social model than looks
good on paper, but eventually fails real-world.

Sincerely,
Mark


mark.r.seman.architect
    i n t e g r a t i v e s
         9 2 8 . 9 2 5 . 7 6 1 7
  -----Original Message-----
  From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of Sam Scripter
  Sent: Sunday, December 07, 2008 8:37 PM
  Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Urban Renewal Agency Impact on Taxpayers


  I wondered where I could find the membership of the Moscow
  Urban Renewal Agency "Board", so I googled and found the
  website.  In case any readers are interested, here it is:

       http://www.moscow.id.us/URA/index.asp

  Sam Scripter

  Donovan Arnold wrote:
          BJ,

          Taxpayers have been robbed consistently for centuries, where
have you been?

          Best Regards,

          Donovan

          --- On Sun, 12/7/08, B. J. Swanson <bjswan at moscow.com>
wrote:

            From: B. J. Swanson <bjswan at moscow.com>
            Subject: [Vision2020] Urban Renewal Agency Impact on
Taxpayers
            To: vision2020 at moscow.com
            Date: Sunday, December 7, 2008, 11:53 AM


            On November 6, 2008, the Moscow Urban Renewal Agency
Commissioners toured the urban renewal districts in Coeur d’Alene that
are the subject of the first of two articles in the Coeur d’Alene
Press.  The first article is below.  Please note the subscriber
comments following the article.



            Apparently the Moscow URA Commissioners hoped to gather
inspiration from Coeur d’Alene on how to spend more of your tax
dollars.   In particular, how to spend your tax dollars to enrich
private developers without a vote of the taxpayers.



            Here are some other items the Moscow URA spent your tax
dollars on this year:



            ·         Spending up to $5,000 of your tax dollars to
file a “Friend of the Court” brief for the Rexburg Urban Renewal
Agency

            ·         Hiring a new economic development director at a
cost of $80,000+ to be shared with the City of Moscow (tax dollars
funding both)

            ·         In addition to the economic development director
salary, paying the City of Moscow $30,000+ annually for administrative
services.  This is $5,000 more than last year because City Staff said
they need more money to manage the economic development director.  Is
this compound “Bureaucracy Gone Wild?”



            The Moscow Urban Renewal Agency Commissioners have the
ability to finalize and close out the Alturas Urban Renewal District
by 2010 and return $300,000 annually as a direct reduction on all
property tax bills in Latah County.  They have chosen not to do this
and instead vote to continue spending your tax dollars on bureaucracy
and to divert funds to the Legacy Crossing Urban Renewal District,
where nothing is happening.



            Perhaps the Moscow URA Commissioners should take a field
trip around Moscow to assess our economic situation.  In particular,
note that the national recession is extending to Moscow.   There are
layoffs and budget cuts, businesses are not up-staffing and expanding
like the URA; in fact, there have been several business closures and
will be more.



            A $300,000 refund from the Moscow URA would be a welcome
gift to property taxpayers in Moscow and all of Latah County.



            B. J. Swanson





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