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Mark, nothing new. Some lawmakers from the sited states want Congress to
pitch in with a new Homestead Act.... that would provide government
grants and forgive federal college loans to help the abate the
brain/talent drain from rural to Urban. The problem there's almost
no chance that urban lawmakers will go along. When one reviews
present trends in China, for example, there is a strong strong push to
truly help the rural areas share in the prosperity. Further, China
is addressing in a big way its enviromental challenges. Amazing when a
country becomes optomistic. Back to my passion and in
reference to China.... Skills- Pro Tech education for the non
college bound. China is investing heavily into this area.
China is also buying Universities (struture and format) from the West
rather than inventing the wheel. Of course, the Communist party is
suspicious. China still has many structural problems and water is one of
the most pressing. Other countries with $ are literally buying Western
Universities to be locally sited. When I was visting
relatives in Irkutst, Russia. American internet education was
thriving at some of Irkutst finest Universities and Institute's.
The world is flat. Let's make Moscow rock. Jerry <br><br>
At 06:24 AM 10/4/06, Mark Solomon wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Jerry:<br><br>
"Rural areas(Mont.,S.D., N.D., Iowa, Neb.,and Kan.), are
beginning to fight back by the lures of free land and office space,
low-interest loans for new business, advice and mentoring, and rural
business tax breaks. Moscow is not."<br><br>
Moscow is not? Or should this read Idaho is not? It would be interesting
to know if the places mentioned above provided these enticements at the
local level or the state level. Our legislature, famous for crying about
the need for local control when discussing federal/state roles
continually refuses to offer its own cities and counties the same option,
especially when it comes to tax issues. Or unless you happen to be a big
business in Boise.<br><br>
Mark<br><br>
At 10:11 PM -0700 10/3/06, Jerry Weitz wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Bill and Gary,<br>
I agree that everyone desires high tech business in their area.
What progressive communities are doing is very exciting. In a study
of Munich, there is a strong trend to form communities within communites
(the same for Chicago) and attend to the livability factors. Cities
are wising up to what you allude to--packed freeways, strip malls,
etc. Thus if a company needs an educated workforce, they are
considering cities and downtown locations. More young, single,
educated people are moving to the cities. Rural areas(Mont.,S.D.,
N.D., Iowa, Neb.,and Kan.), are beginning to fight back by the lures of
free land and office space, low-interest loans for new business, advice
and mentoring, and rural business tax breaks. Moscow is not. Bill,
tonight I spoke with a young person (whom we both know) that wishes to
stay in Moscow when she marries. This young potential couple is highly
educated and are not able to find work. Last year, I attended UI's
Vandal Banquet honoring our academic athletes, a number said they loved
the Palouse, however they would have to move to regions that offer a
future since there is a lack of job opportunities locally. So why not
accomodate these great young people?<br>
<br>
Our assets are the Universities and the rural setting. The
University: A remarkable invention of western culture and a
decisive catalyst in modern soceity; an essential factor to society's
effective functioning and well-being. It manufactures no products,
but creates the science and technology on which those products
depend. The university trains and nutures each new generation of
architects, artists, authors, business leaders, engineers, farmers,
lawyers, physicians, poets, scientists, social workers and
teachers. Thus we have two great positives: UI and WSU.<br><br>
Yet, our rural University is declining, and has garnered less than great
ratings in the Princeton Review. Since knowledge is the dominant
economic force, the importance of the University can only grow in a
rapidly changing environment. Technology and education have
fused. I recently took a course in graduate statistics from
UW online. Being a math major, I have to admit statistics was not
my favorite although the theory of probability was great. Our office will
be part of UW/Oregon Health Science's research faculty. The on-line
experience was the best math class I have ever participated in.
Recall, I once studied Math in Germany for one year. Hence,
location (mortar and brick) are not as important as technology
improves. The American Community College is considered the
best American invention in higher ed in a recent Economist magazine's
feature on the state of education in America. Hence, Moscow
has a way to go in helping defend UI against 21th century economic and
educational realities. However, the Quad cities have two great
assets. LCSC and WWCC.<br><br>
In Harvard's Derek Bok's two recent books, Universities in the
Marketplace, and Our Underacheiving Colleges addresses why Moscow may
want to change, grow, embrace prosperity, and become business
friendly. Being isolated, rural, anti infrastructure are not
advantages. BSU has every intention of being the flagship both in
relevence, research, and student population. BSU has significant
Business Support.<br><br>
Bill, please tell me what you think of Walla Walla why we shouldn't
model its optimism and actions. Thomas Freidman had a great
editorial about Europe's former poor house--Ireland. Ireland
invested in infrastructure, education, and business friendliness.. Walla
Walla did the same. The results are remarkable. Jerry
<br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
At 06:27 PM 10/3/06, g. crabtree wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><font size=2>Mr. London, could
you flesh out your sweeping assertion that "They (the owners of
clean, high paying, high tech business) do not like freeways, strip
malls, and huge Wal-Mart's."? The bulk of those types of
businesses are, in fact, located in cities that do have those things and,
for the most part, in spades. Ed Schweitzer, the owner of what has to be
the holy grail of the types of businesses that are being discussed, is
not preparing to pull up stakes and bolt over a superstore, far from it.
Increased expansion is the order of the day. He is on record as being
"a strong proponent" of Pullman's Super Wal-Mart and is also in
favor of greatly improved transportation in the Moscow-Pullman area.
Could you point me to the study, poll, or interview that would bear out
your contention that a bit of development would scare off the future high
tech golden geese? Or is this simply a personally held conviction that
you felt comfortable foisting onto the backs of entrepreneurs in an
effort to further your own bucolic vision for Moscow?<br>
</font> <br>
<font size=2>gc<br>
----- Original Message -----</font><br>
<font size=2>From: "Bill London"
<<a href="mailto:london@moscow.com">london@moscow.com</a>><br>
To: "Tom Trail"
<<a href="mailto:ttrail@moscow.com">ttrail@moscow.com</a>>;
<<a href="mailto:vision2020@mail-gw.fsr.net">vision2020@mail-gw.fsr.net</a>>;
"Jerry Weitz"
<<a href="mailto:gweitz@moscow.com">gweitz@moscow.com</a>><br>
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 2:48 PM<br>
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] BYU-Idaho Enrollment<br>
</font><br>
<font size=2>> J-<br>
> In your earlier post, you spoke of making a
significant change in this<br>
> community. You wrote that we needed to embrace change and
growth.<br>
> I tried to bring some specificity to that language
when I asked about<br>
> your reaction to the Naylor Farms permit. In response, you
noted that you<br>
> did not favor the Naylor Farms industrial model of growth, but
instead<br>
> wanted clean high-tech businesses.<br>
> I hope that is an accurate summary of this
discussion so far.<br>
> My point now is that what you are asking for
(infusion of high-tech<br>
> businesses) is the status quo. Everybody wants that.
Every city and county<br>
> in the US, and probably the world, wants clean well-paying
high-tech<br>
> businesses. So, that is not new. With Alturas park, the
business<br>
> incubator, the LEDC, and all, Moscow is already doing that.<br>
> So, I wonder -- what is your point? when you
talk about embracing<br>
> growth and change, if the growth and change is carefully directed
toward<br>
> clean high-tech businesses, I do not think you will find very many
people<br>
> disagreeing. That is the Holy Grail of economic development
these days --<br>
> and one that I support.<br>
> I think Moscow can recruit these in-demand
high-tech businesses, either<br>
> by drawing them in or by growing them from the UI/WSU. But the
reason they<br>
> would choose to settle here (remember they are being bribed by
cities and<br>
> counties from all over to move to those locations) is that they like
the<br>
> quality of life here.<br>
> The owners of those businesses like bike paths and
good schools and a<br>
> vibrant cultural life. They do not like freeways, strip malls,
and huge<br>
> Walmarts.<br>
> So, Jerry, what is it that you want to change
about Moscow in your goal<br>
> of embracing growth?<br>
> BL<br>
><br>
> ----- Original Message -----<br>
> From: "Jerry Weitz"
<<a href="mailto:gweitz@moscow.com">gweitz@moscow.com</a>><br>
> To: "Bill London"
<<a href="mailto:london@moscow.com">london@moscow.com</a>>;
"Tom Trail"
<<a href="mailto:ttrail@moscow.com">ttrail@moscow.com</a>>;<br>
>
<<a href="mailto:vision2020@mail-gw.fsr.net">vision2020@mail-gw.fsr.net</a>><br>
> Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 9:34 PM<br>
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] BYU-Idaho Enrollment<br>
><br>
><br>
>> Bill, Naylor Farms is not the type of growth I have ever
pushed. What I<br>
> am<br>
>> talking about is a Stanford Research Park....Schweitzer type
companies.<br>
> In<br>
>> this week's Kiplinger Report under trends, the letter reports a
30%<br>
>> increase (from 25 years ago) of young people moving to and
remaining in<br>
>> urban areas. There are rural areas that are fighting back
to keep their<br>
>> youth and/or recruit youth to their regions by offering strong
tax<br>
>> incentives and in some cases, free land for businesses these
youth are<br>
>> starting. Incidently, there are more upstart high tech companies
in the US<br>
>> than ever in our history. Moscow is not an area that
focuses on retaining<br>
>> our youth since job creation is not on the radar screen.
In one<br>
> editorial,<br>
>> I suggested that the county buy Naylor farms and turn it
into a<br>
>> business/ed research park. I talked with Sid Eder and Paul
Kimmell about<br>
>> this concept.<br>
>><br>
>> Would you agree such a business/ed park could reverse UI's
decline? MIT<br>
> has<br>
>> less enrollment than UI and its graduates/faculty have spun off
over 4,000<br>
>> companies and these companies collectively employ
1.1Million<br>
>> Folks. Route 128 in Boston in bristling with
firms that are examples of<br>
>> bus/ed. Micron, for example, donated $5 million to BSU for
two Phd<br>
>> programs in engineering. Micron used to donate to UI and I
was told by an<br>
>> engineering prof that Micron-UI donations have dryed up,
however<br>
> Schweitzer<br>
>> donates heavily to both WSU and UI. Gone are the
days of extractive<br>
>> industries. I do not think it would take too many
companies to reverse<br>
> the<br>
>> town's outlook. I do not believe our area will become an
urban<br>
>> center. Research shows that in 1910, with the
students are factored out,<br>
>> there was more population on the Palouse (Whitman and Latah
Counties) than<br>
>> in year 2000. I am not afraid of growth, however there has
been almost no<br>
>> planning. When you visited Walla Walla, did you feel
the optimism and<br>
>> experience a very nicely laid out community? When I
went to college in<br>
>> the mid 60's, Walla Walla was still complaining about not being
the<br>
> capitol<br>
>> of WN and had a no-can-do-it attitude. When one extractive
industry<br>
>> (timber) declined, Walla Walla refocused and came up with the
wine<br>
>> industry. WWCommuniy College just started about when I
graduated and has<br>
>> matured nicely. Whitman and Walla Walla College, the two
privates, work<br>
>> together. The public k-12 is very progressive. Safe
highways are lobbied<br>
>> for and Walla Walla has over a square mile of business
park. Their<br>
> chamber<br>
>> is very organized and its web page is excellent. Walla
Walla is a city of<br>
>> the arts.<br>
>><br>
>> So what I am saying, we could do the same and by doing the same,
I believe<br>
>> UI's fortunes will be enhanced and Moscow will benefit.<br>
>> Jerry<br>
>> At 03:20 PM 10/1/06, Bill London wrote:<br>
>> >Jerry:<br>
>> >A question: Naylor Farms, in their pitch for a county permit
for the<br>
>> >operation of their mining operation north of Moscow,
promised growth,<br>
>> >economic development, jobs, and economic diversification --
in short,<br>
>> >everything you have said that you support. Do you
believe that the Latah<br>
>> >County Commissioners were wrong to deny Naylor Farms the
option of<br>
>> >developing their land in that manner?<br>
>> >BL<br>
>> ><br>
>> ><br>
>> >----- Original Message -----<br>
>> >From: "Jerry Weitz"
<<a href="mailto:gweitz@moscow.com">gweitz@moscow.com</a>><br>
>> >To: "Tom Trail"
<<a href="mailto:ttrail@moscow.com">ttrail@moscow.com</a>>;
<<a href="mailto:vision2020@mail-gw.fsr.net">vision2020@mail-gw.fsr.net</a>><br>
>> >Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2006 11:16 PM<br>
>> >Subject: Re: [Vision2020] BYU-Idaho Enrollment<br>
>> ><br>
>> ><br>
>> > > UI needs a boost with a business/ed research park
similar to say<br>
> Chapel<br>
>> > > Hill, N.C.. WSU/Pullman/IU/Moscow are the
assets. As Ed Schweitzer<br>
>> > > said, we live in a sea of land and a declining
population.<br>
> Schweitzer<br>
>> > > Engineering has a challenge in recruitment and
expansion due to the<br>
> lack<br>
>> >of<br>
>> > > housing and population. Schweitzer has said that
his company in not<br>
> in<br>
>> >the<br>
>> > > real estate business, yet had to develop over 90 acres
for housing.<br>
> The<br>
>> >no<br>
>> > > growth folks are hurting the UI, our area's potential,
and Schweitzer.<br>
>> > ><br>
>> > > The UI is down 737 students state wide, with a
decline of 628 at the<br>
>> > > Moscow campus. BSU is up 277 to 18,876 (BSU has
increased enrollment<br>
> 9<br>
>> >out<br>
>> > > of the last 10 years). BYU/Idaho is up 1220
students. Within five<br>
> years,<br>
>> > > at present growth rates, BYU/Idaho will see 20,000
students and within<br>
> 10<br>
>> > > years 30,000. Recall, BYU/Idaho with President
Kim Clark, the<br>
> immediate<br>
>> > > former dean of Harvard Business School, has three
imperitives: 1)<br>
> Vastly<br>
>> > > increase enrollment, 2) vastly improve educational
quality, and 3)<br>
> keep<br>
>> > > relative educational costs down. Note that BYU/Provo
turns away<br>
>> > > qualifiedsutdents-- about as many that apply.. I would
guess: one of<br>
> the<br>
>> > > church's motives for expansion. BYU/Provo is a high
educational<br>
> quality<br>
>> > > school. UI will most likely benefit at the graduate
level due to<br>
> BYU/Idaho<br>
>> > > enrollment increases and mostly likely will see a
decline in LDS kids<br>
> at<br>
>> > > the undergraduate level.<br>
>> > ><br>
>> > > ISU has lost about10% this year ( a decline of over
1200 ). UI<br>
> officials<br>
>> > > anticipated that its Twin Falls campus would suffer
large declines and<br>
>> >made<br>
>> > > the right move to transfer out. Presently,
UI's commendable response<br>
> is<br>
>> > > to place a lot of effort into recruitment and quality,
however all<br>
> Idaho<br>
>> > > Public Universities will following suit and the
competition will be<br>
>> > > strong. The result may be little net gain.<br>
>> > ><br>
>> > > There will be a push by UI to have a strong presence
in CDA.<br>
> Presently,<br>
>> > > for example, CDA has been begging UI for a MBA program
in their<br>
>> > > area. Money is the issue.. Gonzaga has
filled the MBA role so far<br>
> and is<br>
>> > > expensive. The MBA needs to be tailored for the
working professional.<br>
>> > ><br>
>> > > Here is the challange: If the community keeps up
with its petty<br>
> politics,<br>
>> > > such as stopping safe highways, serving an eviction
notice to the<br>
>> > > Alternative High School, not dealing with water and
other<br>
>> > > infrastructure..schools, losing its commerical base to
the Pullman<br>
>> > > corridor, then the UI will have to accept declines in
status, funding,<br>
> and<br>
>> > > enrollment. It will be like Ohio University vs Ohio
State University<br>
> in<br>
>> > > dealing with BSU. All of higher ed will now have
to compete with k-12<br>
> if<br>
>> > > the economy softens due to the sales tax shift.<br>
>> > > Boise will get a community college and should.. adding
more<br>
> competition<br>
>> >for<br>
>> > > the ed dollar.<br>
>> > ><br>
>> > > Yet, there exists a tremendous potential here on the
Palouse for a<br>
> robust<br>
>> > > economy and thriving Universities. Think of the
possiblities in<br>
>> > > alternative energy, global warming solutions (after
all the ozone<br>
> layer<br>
>> >has<br>
>> > > almost been restored), agriculture, water, etc.
and the spin off's.<br>
>> >Think<br>
>> > > of how much value Schweitzer Engineering has added to
humankind and<br>
> this<br>
>> > > area. Think of how the UI's reputation would be
enhanced..the MIT of<br>
> the<br>
>> > > west. The Palouse Universities have the
potential of being defining<br>
> 21th<br>
>> > > Century institutions. The community must embrace
growth and change<br>
> (the<br>
>> > > only constant).<br>
>> > ><br>
>> > > Now Tom, what are you going to do and what postion are
you going to<br>
>> > > take? Jerry<br>
>> > ><br>
>> > ><br>
>> > ><br>
>> > ><br>
>> > ><br>
>> > ><br>
>> > > At 04:12 PM 9/26/06, Tom Trail wrote:<br>
>> > > >Visionaires:<br>
>> > > ><br>
>> > > >One should keep an eye on the enrollment trends in
S.E. Idaho. The<br>
>> > > >enrollment at BYU-Idaho in Rexburg is over 15,000,
and experts<br>
> predict<br>
>> > > >that within a few years it will overtake BSU and
thus become the<br>
> largest<br>
>> > > >institution of higher learning in
Idaho. The 9% drop in enrollment<br>
> at<br>
>> > > >ISU may be partially attributed competition with
BYU-Idaho.<br>
>> > > ><br>
>> > > >Rep. Tom Trail<br>
>> > > >--<br>
>> > > >Dr. Tom Trail<br>
>> > > >International Trails<br>
>> > > >1375 Mt. View Rd.<br>
>> > > >Moscow, Id. 83843<br>
>> > > >Tel: (208) 882-6077<br>
>> > > >Fax: (208) 882-0896<br>
>> > > >e mail</font>
<a href="mailto:ttrail@moscow.com"><font size=2>ttrail@moscow.com</a></font><br>
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>> > >
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>> > >
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