[Vision2020] Smart Growth/ was Recall the city council

[Garrett Clevenger]

g writes:

"I know the tactic is to repeat the lie so often it
becomes accepted fact but, Moscow is, in fact,
subsidizing nothing."


I would say g is perpetuating a lie, or at least
misinformation as I think in order to lie you have to
be aware you are wrong, because, in fact, Moscow is
subsidizing something.  

By providing water and sewer services, Moscow is
saving Hawkins $4 million in development costs that
would be needed to build infrastructure to receive
water and dispose of sewer.  Whitman County agreed to
fund a $10 million dollar bond to build that
infrastructure and more.  Now Whitman County will save
$4 million by not having to pay to build the water and
sewer infrastructure.  I would say Moscow is
subsidizing Whitman County's growth, if not
necessarily Hawkins itself, because our
infrastructure, something paid for by Moscow tax and
rate payers, will now be stretched further, and
perhaps need upgrades sooner, if Hawkins uses Moscow's
water and sewer services.  

Whitman County, as far as I can tell, is not agreeing
to give Moscow anything.  Usually subsidies expect
something in return, so perhaps this isn't a strict
subsidy, but a give away.

Am I wrong in thinking the new city council could have
rezoned an area in Moscow for Hawkins, or a Super
Walmart?  Not that I'd want them to do it, but in
their negotiation with Hawkins, could that not have
been part of the negotiation, offering instead of
selling water and sewer, the ability to build in
Moscow?  If the new council really had Moscow's future
at heart, instead of merely development for
development's sake, regardless if that development
will directly compete with Moscow, it seems the
council had another alternative: rezone somewhere in
Moscow to suit what seems to be a need for more
shopping areas.

Keep in mind, though, that considering Walmart is the
kind of store that will close a smaller, older one to
build a Super Center, their intent is to garner more
market share.  They don't necessarily have the
community's interest at heart.  I think many owners of
these types of developments who live in another
community really are mostly interested in their bottom
line, not building community.

Case in point: the owner of the Palouse Empire Mall,
who does not live in Moscow, kicked Wheatland Express,
the bus from Pullman to Moscow, out of the mall.  They
no longer wanted the bus to stop at the mall because
they thought too many people were parking at the mall
to catch the bus there, regardless that their huge
parking lot is very rarely full.  I take the bus daily
and saw many people get off the bus at the mall, and
come back with full bags of groceries from Winco, and
other items.  I'm sure the owners of stores at the
mall are losing thousands of dollars of business a
year since the bus no longer stops there.  I'd say the
owner of mall isn't really concerned about building
community, on top of not caring if his tenants are
losing business.

Now the bus stops at Walmart, and most of those people
who get off there are shopping at Walmart.  If that
Walmart closes, I wonder if the bus will change its
stop to Hawkins, denying Moscow the business of
hundreds of people who come from Pullman.  I doubt the
bus would stop at both Hawkins and the PEM or another
store near there.

My point is, instead of subsidizing Whitman County's
growth by allowing another state to use our
infrastructure, the council should have had the smarts
to take public input on such a crucial issue to insure
that our resources are being put towards those who
really care about Moscow's future, rather than just
making a buck.

gclev