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The hysteria and hyperbole (and/or lack of knowledge) that some folks use
to advance their arguments is quite interesting - and indicative of how
folks would carry out their responsibilities as a decision maker for the
local area. Consider the quote from Antone Holmquist below
(highlighled in italics) and apparently published in the Lewiston Morning
Tribune a few days ago.<br><br>
Basic mathematics implies a result quite different from the conclusion
reached by Mr. Holmquist. According to the Moscow Chamber of
Commerce, the population demographics for Latah County and Moscow
are:<br><br>
<b>Population Growth<br><br>
</b><x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>City<x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>County<br>
1980
<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>16,513<x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>28,749<br>
1990
<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>18,422<x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>31,314<br>
1995
<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>20,555<x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>33,050<br>
1998
<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>21,500<x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>32,051<br>
2000
<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>21,291<x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>34,935<br>
2005<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>21,700<x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>35,218<br><br>
The average annual growth rate for Moscow is .7%<br>
The average annual growth rate for Latah is .6%<br><br>
If we were fortunate enough to grow by 1% for the next 100 years, the
population for the City and the County would be:<br><br>
City<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>58,695<br>
County<x-tab> </x-tab>95,258<br><br>
If we use the historical growth rate of .7% and .6%, our population in
<b>100 years</b> would be:<br><br>
City
<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>43,592<br>
County<x-tab> </x-tab>64,056<x-tab> </x-tab><br>
<br>
It just seems irresponsible to argue that if our population doubles in
the next 100 years, that we are doomed here. The fact is, if we maintain
our current growth rate, we are faced with the <b><i>challenge </i></b>of
finding homes for about 350 folks (say about 150 families) each year for
the foreseeable future. Of course, about a third of those would
presumably settle in the rural towns of the County. Some are
arguing that finding homes for about 100 or so families each year in
Moscow is "too much" growth? <br><br>
I hope those attending the Moscow New Cities forum will keep these
numbers in mind. As a benchmark for comparison, you might consider
the State of Rhode Island. RI enjoys a land area of 1,045 sq miles
(they also have about 500 sq miles in water). The population is
about 1,048,319. If you have visited Rhode Island, you know that
they have managed to preserve their growth, their green spaces, and their
rural area quite nicely. <br><br>
Latah County has a land area of approx. 1,077 square miles.<br><br>
The panic, fear, disdain for growth, loathe for local individual and
business economic prosperity and general hysterics by some
"progressives " is simply unwarranted. The facts do not
support their histrionics. It does make one wonder exactly what the
agenda is?<br><br>
Now, as I close, please read again the next editorial appended to this
email (by Ms. McGovern) - note the bold italicized statement. if
you have lived on the Palouse as long as I have, you will recall that the
same arguments were made about the current WalMart store. Does the
fear-based argument stand up?<br><br>
My challenge to you - just as the residents of Latah County welcomed
those of us that were not born here, to live and raise our families here,
and share in the rich bounty offered by the Palouse area, so it is
incumbent upon us to welcome those 150 to 200 families each year to live
with us - with the same freedoms we enjoyed. IMHO, that is a
heritage worth preserving.<br><br>
At 12:00 PM 2/25/2006, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">>From this weekend's
(February 26-26, 2006) Daily News with a special vote of<br>
thanks to Antone Holmquist and Eileen McGovern -<br><br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
Unsustainable, Doomed Model<br><br>
B.J. Swanson has come under fire for her opinion on the proposed
Wal-Mart<br>
Supercenter and some are calling for her head. I say bully for
her. As a<br>
well-respected local banker, her learned opinion should be worth a
great<br>
deal.<br><br>
<b><i>Some local economists have trumpeted the economic mantra of
"consumer<br>
choice" and bemoan Moscow's 1 percent annual growth.<br><br>
Basic mathematics, however, reveals that a 1 percent annual growth in
Moscow<br>
would certainly fill every nook and cranny from Moscow Mountain to
Paradise<br>
Ridge and beyond within an average lifetime and such growth is just
frankly<br>
unsustainable worldwide.</i></b><br><br>
Last year I embarked on a road trip from Fort Worth, Texas to
northern<br>
Arkansas. This is the heart and soul of Wal-Mart and other big-box
stores.<br>
An awful lot of these towns have virtually no business district and
the<br>
towns look shriveled up. I drove into Bill Clinton's birthplace and
found<br>
nearly a ghost town.<br><br>
Wal-Mart and the other huge chains have sucked the soul from these
towns.<br>
As a young college student studying economics I suspected the basic
economic<br>
premise of growth, growth that was crammed down my throat was not
quite<br>
right and 35 years later I know it is an unsustainable and doomed
model.<br><br>
Antone G. Holmquist<br>
Moscow<br><br>
------------------------<br><br>
Protect Our Quality of Life<br><br>
Moscow, Idaho, Heart of the Arts, home of the Farmers Market -
nestled<br>
cozily in the undulating Palouse. Moscow is a community unique in
its<br>
ability to combine small-town familiarity and warmth with the
enriching,<br>
energizing force of the University of Idaho. This has been
Moscow's<br>
strength for many years and now it is under attack.<br><br>
Wal-Mart, the largest corporation in the world, and persistent violator
of<br>
human rights both locally and globally, wants to gouge out a chunk of
the<br>
Palouse and replace it with a sprawling, concrete Goliath of commerce -
the<br>
Wal-Mart Supercenter.<br><br>
<b><i>The super center is likely to alter the character of Moscow to
something<br>
more gray and generic. It will initiate urban sprawl, threaten
both<br>
downtown businesses and the potential for sustainable economic growth,
and<br>
have a negative impact on the local environment - all of which makes
Moscow<br>
a less attractive place to live.</i></b><br><br>
Whether or not this assault on our quality of life occurs has a lot to
do<br>
with the City Council's answer to the question: How to zone the area<br>
Wal-Mart wants to invade. If it is zoned a mixed-use area, Moscow
will be<br>
protected from the corporate onslaught.<br><br>
Please contact your City Council members and let them know how important
it<br>
is to this community that they zone that area mixed-use in order to
protect<br>
our quality of life.<br><br>
Eileen McGovern<br>
Moscow<br><br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
Thank you so very, very much Antone and Eileen for expressing a true
sense<br>
of community.<br><br>
Take care, Moscow.<br><br>
Tom Hansen<br>
Moscow, Idaho<br><br>
**************************************************************<br><br>
"A bad cause will ever be supported by bad means and bad men."
<br><br>
- Thomas Paine (English Writer, 1737-1809)<br><br>
**************************************************************<br><br>
<br><br>
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