[Vision2020] Recall the city council

[Ted Moffett]

I'm not sure that this has been mentioned yet in this discussion, but the
article in the Moscow/Pullman Daily News about Wal-Mart building at the
Hawkins site claimed that Wal-Mart would close the Moscow Wal-Mart if a
super center was built at Hawkins.  This issue came up in the previous
discussions about Wal-Mart building a super center in Moscow, with some
concerned about the empty Wal-Mart building creating problems

Closing the Moscow Wal-Mart would mean the loss of the local tax revenues
that store generates.  The impacts to businesses in Moscow that will be
negatively effected by the Hawkins development drawing consumer dollars away
from Moscow, and the loss of local tax revenue, seems a valid point.  It
will be argued no doubt that the Hawkins development will bring new
consumers to our area who will then shop in Moscow, perhaps benefitting
Moscow businesses, compensating for the Moscow business lost due to local
consumers shopping at Hawkins instead of the Palouse Mall, et. al.  Also,
the higher minimum wage in Washington will ensure the jobs at Hawkins will
pay more in many cases than similar jobs in Moscow.  And that a general
trend of either increases in population and/or average income, will "raise
all boats," as they say, across state lines.

Where is the independent unbiased professional study of the full long term
economic impacts that a Hawkins development in Whitman County just across
the state line would have on the Moscow economy?  I asked this question once
on Vision2020, and did not receive a response indicating any such study
exists.  I know that some local academics have commented on the positive
economic benefits Hawkins might bring to the Moscow economy.  But these
comments were not taken from a comprehensive unbiased professional study of
the potential economic impacts to Moscow, as far as I know.

In Moscow City Councilperson Tom Lamar's Moscow/Pullman Daily News editorial
on the Hawkins development deal agreed to by the Moscow City Council, Lamar
stated he had not seen any retail study regarding the need for the Hawkins
development.  And if he had not seen one, perhaps none of the other council
members have either; and perhaps such a study does not exist.  If so, this
fact alone renders the supposed wisdom of the Hawkins/Moscow deal
questionable.  The claimed urgency that this deal had to go through quickly,
with no time left for more consideration, has also been questioned; along
with the claim that Hawkins would have proceeded with the development rather
easily even if Moscow had not agreed to provide services across state lines.

As we speculate on the economic impacts to Moscow of the Hawkins
development, those opposing and supporting the Moscow councils' deal with
Hawkins are using economic equations that have not been fully and
professionally examined, from what I have been able to gather.  The opinion
that "Every nuance of opinion had already been expressed ad nauseum"
regarding the Hawkins deal with Moscow appears to suggest the comprehensive
independent unbiased study of the economic impacts on Moscow of the Hawkins
development, exists.  Where is it?

http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/2008-February/051940.html

*(February 15, 2008)

HIS VIEW: Why I oppose selling Moscow's water
By Tom Lamar

"I have not seen a retail study showing that a retail development of this
size - 714,000 square feet is needed or justified. If it is, such a
development should be in Moscow - so our residents can control the
development to fit our community."
-----------------------------------------
Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett



On 3/23/08, roger hayes <rhayes at turbonet.com> wrote:
>
>
> > Moscow citizens need to take a good look at what the city council's
> > decision to provide water and sewer to the Hawkins company will bring.
> > Yesterday's Daily News posted some serious speculation about WalMart
> > building a Super Center in the Hawkin's development. Earlier, I did
> > have a suspicion that was a distinct possibility. I could not see how
> > a Lowes could be the anchor store. WalMart, Idaho division, remains
> > tight lipped about its plans, but would not rule out the possibility.
> > A local WalMart employee speculated that it is a reality.
> > By providing water and sewer service across the state line, Moscow
> > taxpayers may now subsidize the construction of WalMart. Whitman
> > county taxpayers are providing over 10 million in infrastructure
> > development.  This is an ultimate irony since both communities have
> > waged campaigns against the building of a Super Center in their
> > communities. And in Moscow's case, we are dealing a vast economic blow
> > to our community.
> > Much more is going on than we citizens know. What other "deals" are
> > happening behind closed doors?
> > I do feel that if WalMart comes in it will prove how inept, and most
> > likely, corrupt the current Moscow city council is. The council will
> > no doubt plead ignorance, and do so with an arrogant smile.
> We need to do something and do it quickly. Any ideas?
> >
>
> > Roger Hayes
> >
>
>
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