[Vision2020] Development at Any Cost

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of the Letters section of today's (January 14, 2012) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with thanks to Garrett Clevenger.

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Development at any cost
Thank you for the Jan. 7 Daily News editorial regarding the $15 million subsidy Whitman County commissioners have approved for the Hawkins megamall. While those who voted for it may have done so against sound legal advice, it's no surprise they are OK spending taxpayer dollars to help build the megamall. After all, they expect to syphon enough business away from Moscow to make it pay back over the years.
What's more disturbing to me is the action the Greater Moscow Alliance-endorsed Moscow city councilors took.
In 2008, they approved a secret deal to try to sell the out-of-state Hawkins Idaho water and provide them sewer services. While none of that may pan out, the deal does prevent Moscow from petitioning certain actions the megamall may wish to act upon. In other words, these GMA-endorsed councilors forfeited Moscow's legal rights to appeal in order to appease Hawkins.
Let's connect some dots to get a clearer picture of what happened:
GMA was able to elect their candidates. GMA is essentially a developers group trying to enact policy to allow for unrestrained development of the region. The president of GMA when these councilors were elected was Steve Busch who owns Busch Distributors, which is across the street from the proposed Hawkins site. If the mall is built, more than likely Busch's land value will increase, so obviously he is keen on seeing the megamall built.
While this conspiracy theory may be more complex than what happened, on the surface it looks like the councilors were paying back Busch for helping them get elected. So, they betrayed Moscow's businesses and tax base by pandering to Hawkins. GMA should stand for Give Moscow Away as it seems their intent is develop the area at any cost as long as their guys make money.
Garrett Clevenger
Moscow
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Seeya later, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Spokane, Washington

"If not us, who?
If not now, when?"

- Unknown
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