<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="IncrediMail 1.0" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY style="BACKGROUND-POSITION: 0px 0px; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 5px 10px 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bgColor=#ffffff background="" scroll=yes ORGYPOS="0">
<TABLE id=INCREDIMAINTABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD id=INCREDITEXTREGION style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; CURSOR: auto; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" width="100%">
<DIV>Jeff - Do you know why the US Government puts tariffs on products and farm goods? It is so the average person can compete. Right now today, nobody, I mean nobody can compete with Walmart. They buy things cheaper and sell things cheaper to the public at a cheaper price than any business in Moscow and Pullman can even buy the product for, from a vendor. So, by your statement below, you confirm my statement that downtown Moscow and Pullman will have their heads handed to them. Especially with their strategy of two stores. That is to kill us off faster.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Phil </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV id=IncrediOriginalMessage><I>-------Original Message-------</I></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV id=receivestrings>
<DIV dir=ltr style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" <i><B>From:</B></I> <A href="mailto:jeffh@moscow.com">Jeff Harkins</A></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" <i><B>Date:</B></I> 01/08/06 22:01:46</DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" <i><B>To:</B></I> <A href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt" <i><B>Subject:</B></I> [Spam] Re: [Vision2020] Shopping Center Plans Filed forPullman-Moscow Highway Site</DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>Mark, <BR><BR>No, it is not a fault or flaw at all - I presume that some of the current "WalMart" traffic, potential Lowe's traffic, and other new businesses potential traffic (located in corridor) will shop in Moscow. But given the success of the existing Walmart, I am pretty confident that, given a 5% comparative advantage on groceries not taxed in WA, a substantial number of shoppers will wander across the border. I suspect Walmart knows that as well, as does Lowe's, et al. <BR><BR>Rational shoppers will be guided by value and price. Loyalty is an expensive commodity. Nothing wrong with it, but it is expensive. Those that want to shop at "local businesses" should do so. Those that don't want to pay higher prices, should not be denied that op.<BR><BR>Rational shoppers know that their most important vote is voting with their dollars. Successful businesses know that as well.<BR><BR>At 09:56 AM 1/8/2006, you wrote:<BR>
<DIV class=cite cite="" type="cite">Jeff,<BR><BR>I imagine if we try hard enough we'll eventually find something else we can agree on as well. A fault in your argument re losing sales if Walmart or any other business closes is the assumption that the foregone sales simply disappear instead of being found in increased sales at another local business.<BR><BR>Mark<BR><BR>At 9:46 AM -0800 1/8/06, Jeff Harkins wrote:<BR>
<DIV class=cite cite="" type="cite">Mark,<BR><BR>Granted - it is a slippery slope - but the impact back to local taxpayers is immediate - the loss in sales tax distribution for the County doesn't result in reduced budgeted expenditures for the County - it results in an immediate increase in the property tax burden for Latah and Moscow property owners.<BR><BR>Add to that - if the Moscow WalMart (or any other business) closes and is replaced by businesses located in Whitman County (or Pullman) our tax base is reduced and the remaining property owners pick up that loss. <BR><BR>Bottom line - any loss of tax revenue in Latah County will be shifted to another tax revenue source - usually property tax. <BR><BR>Should we lobby for a local option sales tax - absolutely - and that is something you and I appear to be in absolute agreement on!<BR><BR>Hard to believe huh!<BR><BR><BR> At 08:56 AM 1/8/2006, you wrote:<BR>
<DIV class=cite cite="" type="cite">Jeff,<BR><BR>Using the latest numbers available (FY2004), Moscow's general fund (which does not include water, sewer, solid waste income streams) received a whopping 3.9% of its income from sales tax distribution. Sure, pennies are pennies and they all add up but to hold out increasing sales tax revenues as a panacea for local government financial woes is not an argument I would like to stand behind. Until the Legislature gives voters a local option sales tax as a revenue source, the sales tax is a state income source with a bone thrown to local government.<BR><BR>Mark<BR><BR>At 12:26 AM -0800 1/8/06, Jeff Harkins wrote:<BR>
<DIV class=cite cite="" type="cite">Mark,<BR><BR>The tax code in Idaho is complicated and so it is not surprising that many are confused about how the dollars get allocated.<BR><BR>Please refer to <A href="http://www3.state.id.us/cgi-bin/newidst?sctid=630360038.K" eudora="autourl">http://www3.state.id.us/cgi-bin/newidst?sctid=630360038.K</A> where the allocation of the state sales tax is described.<BR><BR>At a minimum, counties and cities receive about 14% of sales tax collected. Distribution to specific counties and cities is usually based on the proportion of state population and/or proportion of assessed value. While the distribution formula should probably be based on sales generated, the use of population and assessed value probably tracks retail sales pretty closely.<BR><BR>Here is an excerpt from the State Tax Commission on the revenue sharing program:<BR><BR><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times" size=6>Tax Revenue Sharing<BR></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times">In fiscal year (FY) 2004, 11.50 percent of Idahos sales tax revenue was distributed to local<BR>governments based on the states temporary 6 percent sales tax rate. About 3.24 percent of Idahos<BR>total sales tax revenue was distributed directly to cities. Half of this amount was distributed according<BR>to population, and the other half was based on the market value of property within each city.<BR>Another 3.24 percent of the sales tax revenue was distributed directly to the counties. Each county<BR>received a guaranteed annual amount of $30,000. The rest was distributed according to population.<BR>In addition, 4.13 percent of the sales tax was distributed to counties, eligible cities, and nonschool<BR>taxing districts according to a complex formula based on amounts received in 1999, current<BR>population (for cities and counties), and current property taxes (for other eligible nonschool taxing<BR>districts). For more information on the formulas used for the distribution, contact the Idaho State Tax<BR>Commission.<BR>Also, eligible taxing districts received $13.4 million annually in quarterly distributions from state<BR>sales tax revenues to replace property tax on agricultural equipment that was exempted from property<BR>tax by legislation in 2001. And, small amounts of lottery withholding and estate tax were distributed<BR>to eligible counties.<BR>Distributions were made after the end of each quarter, so the FY 2003 fourth quarter portion of these<BR>totals was distributed in July 2004.<BR><BR></FONT>So - bottom line Mark - if the pie is smaller, we get less pie!<BR><BR><BR>At 05:53 PM 1/7/2006, you wrote:<BR>
<DIV class=cite cite="" type="cite">The day that sales tax revenues stay where they were collected you might have an argument. But they don't.<BR><BR>Mark Solomon<BR><BR>At 1:26 PM -0800 1/7/06, Jeff Harkins wrote:<BR>
<DIV class=cite cite="" type="cite">And the sales tax revenue lost????<BR><BR>At 12:56 PM 1/7/2006, you wrote:<BR>
<DIV class=cite cite="" type="cite">Do we have ESP, or what, Tom??? *laughing*<BR><BR>Wal-Mart should go out there on the highway if they<BR>insist on being here. A Wal-Mart Superstore in Idaho<BR>is not fair to those who work there. Drive a few more<BR>miles to Washington, For discussion sake, let's say<BR>$2.00 more an hour minium wage. So.... $16.00 more<BR>dollars a day. That $80.00 more a week per FTE?<BR>$320.00 more a month, for a 40 hour employee, not bad.<BR>Not bad at all.<BR><BR>Idaho residents working in Washington still pay Idaho<BR>state taxes.<BR><BR>One store, in the middle of both cities, is better<BR>than 2, ten miles apart.<BR><BR>The current site for a Super-store is not acceptable<BR>to me.<BR><BR>Janesta Carcich<BR><BR>--- Tom Hansen <thansen@moscow.com> wrote:<BR>
<DIV class=cite cite="" type="cite"> >From today's (January 7, 2006) Moscow-Pullman Daily<BR> News -</DIV>----------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<DIV class=cite cite="" type="cite"> -----------------------------------------------<BR><BR><BR><BR> Shopping Center Plans filed for Pullman-Moscow<BR> Highway Site<BR><BR><BR><BR> Application includes a Lowe's home improvement store<BR><BR> Staff report<BR><BR><BR><BR> Tow months of rumors an speculation about the<BR> possible development of a<BR> shopping center on the Pullman-Moscow Highway are<BR> confirmed with the<BR> application from a Boise developer to build one on<BR> the site.<BR><BR><BR><BR> Whitman County Engineer Mark Storey said Hawkins<BR> Companies submitted an<BR> application for a conditional-use permit and filed<BR> an environmental<BR> checklist required under Washington's State<BR> Environmental Policy Act. The<BR> application was filed Wednesday.<BR><BR><BR><BR> Speculation started in late October when a sign<BR> appeared on the site near<BR> the Idaho border announcing plans for development of<BR> a shopping center. The<BR> sign disappeared two weeks later.<BR><BR><BR><BR> The company's website displays plans for a complex<BR> just west of the Idaho<BR> state line. The design includes three large retail<BR> stores, one of which has<BR> been earmarked for a 135,000 square-foot Lowe's home<BR> improvement center.<BR> The plans also include space for eight smaller<BR> retails stores ranging from<BR> 20,000 to 30,000 square feet and eight smaller "pad"<BR> areas.<BR><BR><BR><BR> Lowe's declined to comment on a possible store in<BR> the Pullman-Moscow area,<BR> although a company representative did say the home<BR> improvement chain plans<BR> to expand throughout the United states in 2006.<BR><BR><BR><BR> Storey is reviewing the application and said it will<BR> take between two and<BR> two-and-a-half months for the application to move to<BR> a public hearing before<BR> the Board of Adjustment.<BR><BR><BR><BR> Representatives of Hawkins Companies have not<BR> responded to requests for<BR> interviews.</DIV>----------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
<DIV class=cite cite="" type="cite"> -----------------------------------------------<BR><BR><BR><BR> Anybody taking odds on how this will affect<BR> WalMart's application for a<BR> super center?<BR><BR><BR><BR> Take care, Moscow.<BR><BR><BR><BR> Tom Hansen<BR><BR> Moscow, Idaho<BR><BR><BR><BR> ***********************************<BR> Work like you don't need the money.<BR> Love like you've never been hurt.<BR> Dance like nobody's watching.<BR><BR> - Author Unknown<BR> ***********************************<BR><BR><BR><BR> ></DIV>_____________________________________________________<BR>
<DIV class=cite cite="" type="cite"> List services made available by First Step<BR> Internet,<BR> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<BR><BR> <A href="http://www.fsr.net/" eudora="autourl">http://www.fsr.net</A><BR><BR> <A href="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com" eudora="autourl">mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com</A></DIV>ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ<BR><BR><BR>Janesta Carcich<BR><BR>CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail transmission is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient, any distribution or copying of this transmittal is strictly prohibited and is not a waiver of any applicable privilege. If you have received this transmission in error, please immediately notify the sender and delete the original transmission and its attachments.<BR><BR><BR><BR>__________________________________________<BR>Yahoo! DSL - Something to write home about.<BR>Just $16.99/mo. or less.<BR>dsl.yahoo.com<BR><BR>_____________________________________________________<BR> List services made available by First Step Internet,<BR> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<BR> <A href="http://www.fsr.net/" eudora="autourl">http://www.fsr.net</A><BR> <A href="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com" eudora="autourl">mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com</A><BR>ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ</DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD id=INCREDIFOOTER width="100%">
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%">
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD width="100%"></TD>
<TD id=INCREDISOUND vAlign=bottom align=middle></TD>
<TD id=INCREDIANIM vAlign=bottom align=middle></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><SPAN id=IncrediStamp><SPAN dir=ltr><A href="http://www.incredimail.com/index.asp?id=54475"><IMG alt="Add FUN to your email - CLICK HERE!" hspace=0 src="http://www2.incredimail.com/contents/stamps/imstp_emo_en.gif" align=baseline border=0></A></SPAN></SPAN></BODY></HTML>