[Vision2020] Hawkins Development

roger hayes rhayes at turbonet.com
Sun Dec 21 09:38:41 PST 2008


>
Bill,
Thanks for keeping an eye on what Mr. Steed is up to in his efforts to 
sell Moscow's water.
An additional item regarding this matter was posted in the Daily News  
on December 19th. It said commissioner Greg Partch was happy and 
relieved to see that Washington's governor in her budget address 
announced that 2 million dollars of funding for the "corridor 
development" will be included in her proposal to the legislature.
At a time when the state budget proposes to cut 16% from WSU funding 
and 6% from the community colleges system and also cuts to health care, 
and other vital services, it is absurd to subsidize a Boise developer's 
plan to run a predatory scheme on Moscow's businesses. I can see why 
commissioner Partch was elated, the money will flow downhill to Whitman 
county,  but what in the world is Moscow councilman Steed thinking?
Mr. Steed should understand that exporting business across the state 
line will do nothing but harm his city.  At worst he should not 
encourage the development, and at best he should be opposing it to the 
best of his ability.
The losers in this scheme will be Moscow's tax base and the citizens of 
Pullman who have to pay back the bond which pays for infrastructure 
developments, but then will have to still drive to the Idaho border to 
shop.
Any idea why the development is tucked on the Idaho line rather than 
closer to Pullman? That should be an obvious clue.

Sincerely,
Roger Hayes
Moscow


>
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Bill London
>   To: Tom Trail ; Shirley Ringo
>   Cc: vision2020 at mail-gw.fsr.net ; Nancy Chaney ; tom lamar ; tara 
> roberts
>   Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 5:19 PM
>   Subject: [Vision2020] Steed still selling Moscow water?
>
>
>   Representatives Trail and Ringo:
>
>   An article in the Daily News (Dec. 19) indicated that Moscow City 
> Council member Walter Steed is trying to change Idaho law in order to 
> sell Moscow's water to the Hawkins' retail development on the Pullman 
> Highway.  Steed is now lobbying legislators statewide for their 
> support, and I urge you to tell him NO.
>
>   Steed needs to end this bizarre quest to sell our water to 
> facilitate sprawl development in Washington state.
>
>   Moscow's water is pumped from an aquifer that gets smaller every 
> year.  Despite this dwindling resource, Steed wants the city to pump 
> even more and ship it across the state line to flush toilets at the 
> Hawkins' development.
>
>   The Hawkins' retail development, totally located in Washington 
> state, will have profoundly negative impacts on Moscow's economy.  
> Sales tax dollars will flow out of Moscow from sales made at Hawkin's 
> stores.  Also, remember that new retail does not create new jobs or 
> new wealth.  It only reshuffles the existing dollars. Some Moscow 
> stores will likely relocate to the new mall, and more Moscow stores 
> will close because of that new development.  And, if Steed has his 
> way, Moscow would be foolishly funding those economic problems by 
> providing the water that makes it possible to build the development in 
> the first place.
>
>   Steed is wasting his time, but worse he is wasting the time of the 
> Moscow City Council and city staff and now legislators statewide in 
> his quest to facilitate development in an adjoining state.  Please 
> tell him NO.
>
>   Please respond.  I would like to know your opinion on this matter.
>
>   Bill London
>
>
> ---



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