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Mr. Hansen, <br><br>
The London post was a bit misleading. I am to understand that the
GMA provided a press release to both the Trib and the Daily News
(probably the Latah Eagle as well) - seems to be accurate since the DNews
ran their story on GMA the same day.<br><br>
At 12:18 PM 5/20/2006, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><font size=2 color="#000080">
Excellent post, Bill. Thank you.<br>
<br>
Now that a newly organized community “alliance” has been created, just
what is the mission of this alliance?<br>
<br>
From the Greater Moscow Alliance website at:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.greatermoscow.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=26">
http://www.greatermoscow.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=26</a>
<br>
<br>
“Mission <br>
<br>
The Greater Moscow Alliance is an organization comprised of citizens of
Latah County who would like to see the Greater Moscow community continue
to thrive. Our mission is to actively participate in local decisions to
ensure Moscow and Latah County remains a great place to live, work and do
business.<br>
<br>
The purpose of our organization is to make sure our collective voice is
heard on issues of importance to the community; and to strategize in a
manner that will effectively represent our goals and vision.<br>
<br>
In fulfilling our mission, we strive to do the following:<br>
<br>
1] Maintain community vitality and support free enterprise.<br>
<br>
2] Respect, protect and endorse the rights of private property
owners.<br>
<br>
3] Maintain awareness of community issues, their process and status
in regards to governmental actions.<br>
<br>
4] Educate our members and the community on ordinances and other
issues affecting Moscow and Latah County and to provide balanced
information.<br>
<br>
5] Encourage voter participation.<br>
<br>
6] Encourage and endorse candidates for local offices/elections to
our members.<br>
<br>
7] Encourage healthy growth and promote beneficial economic
development.<br>
<br>
8] To create balanced, fair treatment of issues.”<br>
<br>
[I added the numbers]<br>
<br>
I totally agree with the general intent of this alliance. Informing
the general public of laws that affect them (as reflected in #4) is
important, however . . .<br>
<br>
Yes. This is a political entity, complete with agendas. This
alliance can discuss healthy growth, rights of private property owners,
and presentation of balanced information until the next millennium.
Everybody agrees on those issues. Those issues are not truly
debatable.<br>
<br>
The Greater Moscow Alliance (GMA) reveals its political card in #6 –
“Encourage and ENDORSE [emphasis is mine] candidates for local
offices/elections to our members.” Suffice it to say that GMA will
only endorse those candidates that are in lockstep with GMA leadership
desires.<br>
<br>
I will, however, admit that I agree with #8 of the GMA’s stated mission –
“To create balanced, fair treatment of issues.”<br>
<br>
This brings up another question:<br>
<br>
Just what are GMA’s positions concerning issues of interest:<br>
<br>
Their website identifies three key community issues that impact upon
Moscow:<br>
<br>
1) Thompson rezone<br>
<br>
2) New Saint Andrews CUP (Conditional Use Permit)<br>
<br>
3) Police Union<br>
<br>
Yet, when you access that portion of the GMA website that relates to
these three “Issues of Interest”, all responses are blank:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.greatermoscow.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=6&id=16&Itemid=47">
http://www.greatermoscow.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=6&id=16&Itemid=47</a>
<br>
<br>
How is Moscow to interpret that?<br>
<br>
Your thoughts, Moscow?<br>
<br>
Tom Hansen<br>
Moscow, Idaho<br>
<br>
<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" color="#000080">"If not us,
who?<br>
If not now, when?"<br><br>
- Unknown</font><font size=2> <br>
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