<DIV>Food prices are only going to go up even more for several reasons;</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>1) The massive extinction of honey bees has created a void in pollination of 1/3 of the US food supply. 60% of honey bees have died, with no cure or solution in the near future.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>2) Increases in fuel prices increase the shipping costs of food. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>3) Many crops were wiped out this year due in the freakish winter storms. For example, oranges had a massive freeze.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>4) The UI and WSU student populations have decreased, the main income for Winco. With a reduced volume in sales, Winco has to raise prices to cover losses in volume sales.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>5) No competition. With no other discount grocery stores in the area, like say a Super Wal-Mart, Winco can raise its prices with no consequences, everybody has to eat.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>6) The owners
of the Palouse Empire Mall are raising their rents. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I think it is obvious, Moscow needs competition in the area to curve rising prices. It also needs to do some sting operations on gas price fixing which obviously is going on. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Maybe, many of you guys should call Pat Vaughn and ask him to reassess the property value of the Palouse Empire Mall, which is monopoly. Perhaps if the mall can make such huge increases in their leases, the value of the only active retail mall on the Palouse is much higher than what the County Assessor has it listed as. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If I had the time, and a personal interest at stake, like so many of you do, I would contest the taxable value of the Palouse Empire Mall. It is clear that it has a really high value since it is able to charge so much for its lease spaces and has no real competition. Moscow is probably losing $100,000s in tax revenue that
could go to things like finding a new space for the public bus to park on the west side of town, and to give property tax breaks to locally owned businesses that are having a hard time due to the fact no mall will let them conduct business on their property. Just a thought to those litigious and want what's best and for our community.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Best,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Donovan<BR><BR><B><I>Ellen Roskovich <gussie443@hotmail.com></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"> <DIV> <DIV class=RTE><STRONG>As the cost of gas continues to climb at the pumps, the price of food starts to rise at the grocery stores. Has anyone else noticed this recently?</STRONG></DIV> <DIV class=RTE><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV class=RTE><STRONG>Ellen Roskovich</STRONG></DIV></DIV><BR clear=all> <HR> <A href="http://g.msn.com/8HMAENUS/2734??PS=47575"
target=_top>MSN is giving away a trip to Vegas to see Elton John. Enter to win today.</A> =======================================================<BR>List services made available by First Step Internet, <BR>serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>http://www.fsr.net <BR>mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>=======================================================</BLOCKQUOTE><BR><p> 
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