[Vision2020] Hawkins Mall and Moscow

[Paul Rumelhart]

Not trying to necessarily take a contrary view, simply trying to 
understand...

Where exactly will the mall be located?  I've heard "just across the 
border", but where, exactly?  Is it relatively close to Applebees and 
Walmart?  If it's close enough to need to connect to our water mains, 
won't this have the offsetting effect of bringing more Washington state 
dollars to our mall, Walmart, fast food joints, etc?  If they're already 
over here, won't at least a few people get their groceries at Winco 
instead of driving back to Pullman and across the town to get to a 
grocery store?

Won't this bring people from out of the area, some of whom will shop 
here in Moscow?  Do we really expect that many fires or police calls to 
this megamall to really affect their readiness to handle in-town 
emergencies?

I understand about the water issues.  It's all the same milkshake and 
their straw could suck it dry, just like was mentioned in the "There 
will be blood" movie.  I can understand being concerned about our 
aquifer, and I share that concern.  However, at least we're getting some 
compensation for it.

I'm also on your side about the secrecy.  Very few reasons should 
justify secrecy in our city government, and protecting the pockets of 
fatcats should definitely not be one of them.

Paul

roger hayes wrote:
> Dear Moscow taxpayers and business owners,
>
> It appears the city of Moscow will provide water, sewer, and most 
> likely police and fire services to the proposed Hawkins development 
> which is slated to be built just across the border in Washington. Who 
> will benefit by this? Hawkins, regional developers and Whitman county. 
> The losers will be Moscow businesses and Moscow taxpayers.
> If this plan comes to fruition, we will be exporting our tax dollars to 
> Whitman county, shipping the profits of local business to another 
> state, while reducing Moscow's tax base, AND increasing the demand on 
> our city's infrastructure. How much money will Hawkins agree to pay 
> Moscow to mitigate the destructive consequences this megamall will have 
> on our city?
> With the exception of Tom Lamar, the city council voted against the 
> best interests of our city and its citizens. Walter Steed said he could 
> not comment on the negotiations because they were held in "secret." Why 
> the secrecy? Steed also said "this will not make some people happy." 
> Well, when you make a deal which is destructive to the people who 
> elected you, it is bound to make them unhappy.
> We need to consider a RECALL!
>
> Roger Hayes
> Moscow!
>
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