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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Visionaries,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Below is an op-ed piece that has been submitted to our
local papers, opposing Proposition 2. It was signed by the Mayor and all
six City Council members of the City of Moscow.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Bruce Livingston</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">A
Losing Proposition: Vote “No” on Prop 2<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Unanimity
in City Hall? In this case, resoundingly yes! <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Moscow</st1:City></st1:place>’s elected officials may be as diverse as
our community, but we are solidly united in our opposition to Proposition 2, the
regulatory takings measure that will appear on your November 7 ballot. We urge
you to vote “No.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Proposition
2 is deceptive. Supporters say it is about property rights. They say it prevents
government from taking your house for private development. The truth is that
Prop 2 supporters must have cut-and-pasted eminent domain provisions from House
Bill 455 because those words are </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><EM>already</EM></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></st1:place> law,
thanks to the Legislature’s action earlier this year.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">The
other part of Prop 2 dealing with so-called regulatory takings amounts to “bait
and switch.” It provides that ANY change of government regulation or a refusal
to change--a zoning request for example--that decreases the alleged value of an
applicant’s property opens the door for a claim against government for a
“taking” and requires government to compensate the owner for that decrease.
Depending on neighbors’ satisfaction with the outcome they may also file claims
against government for reduction of their property values, creating a domino
effect. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Who
pays? We, the taxpayers, do. A select few landowners stand to reap exorbitant
returns at the expense of the rest of us.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">This
amounts to nothing short of dismantling community planning in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></st1:place>. State and local
laws already provide for fair and open public review and protection in land use
considerations. The role of government is to determine what is in the long-term
interest of the entire community, not the short term gain of a particular land
holder. Prop 2 turns this idea on its head.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><FONT
face=Arial>Let's say an existing zone allows a variety of conditional uses
including confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) but the primary uses are
housing and small scale agricultural operations. Suppose property "X" was in
that zone located right next to an existing family housing
development.</FONT></SPAN></STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">
Under Prop 2, the owner of property “X” can file a multi-million dollar claim
against local government for refusing the “highest and best use” of his
property, whether or not he actually ever intended to develop a CAFO there.
Awards will be paid out of public coffers (Read: Your tax pocket).
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">You
say something as incomprehensible as this couldn’t make it on the ballot? We
wish you were right. A similar measure made it to the ballot in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place> and was approved
by voters there in 2004.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Since
adopting Measure 37, land use claims in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place> have exceeded $5 billion. Repeat:
BILLION! This fall, <st1:State w:st="on">Washington</st1:State> voters face a
similar ballot measure (Initiative 933), as do <st1:State
w:st="on">Montana</st1:State>, <st1:State w:st="on">Arizona</st1:State>,
<st1:State w:st="on">Nevada</st1:State> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place>. As Idahoans, we wanted to know who
is behind the effort. It isn’t OUR friends and neighbors! The disproportionate
amount of the funds behind Prop 2--six figures plus--comes from out of state
interests. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Proposition
2 would jettison elected officials’ ability to zone properties for orderly
development and compatible adjacent uses. With land use determined piecemeal,
hostage to individual interests and profit motives, the City’s long-range
Comprehensive Plan that we’re about to revise would become a mere vision of what
might have been. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">A
united front, remarkable for its political diversity, is solidly against
Proposition 2. The alliance includes Governor Jim Risch (candidate for
Lieutenant Governor); Larry LaRocco (candidate for Lieutenant Governor);
Congressman Butch Otter (candidate for Governor); Jerry Brady (candidate for
Governor); and every Legislator and County Commissioner from Latah County.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The Idaho Association of Commerce and
Industry and other business interests have been joined by environmental groups
in opposition to Prop 2. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">We,
your Mayor and City Council, are honored to be in this company and we invite you
to join us.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">If
you care about what gets built next to your house, if you really want to protect
your property values, and if preservation of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></st1:place>’s quality of life matters to you, please
vote “No” on Proposition 2.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">Printed
name, signature & date:
__________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
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</SPAN><SPAN
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</SPAN><SPAN
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</SPAN>__________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
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</SPAN>__________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'">__________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><EM>This document was
prepared without use of City funds, staff, equipment or other public
resources.<o:p></o:p></EM></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>