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<TITLE>Re: Real Economic Value</TITLE>
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The idea of high tech jobs being a good fit and economic driver for Moscow is based on the assets and culture we already have to attract and support them. Assets being the University of Idaho, research dollars, quality of life, arts community, etc. The high tech jobs bring in new money to support several other jobs within the community and raise the overall standard of living. Those high paying jobs will support housing, retail and overall good of the community. Very similar to the economic models of Dr. Richard Florida.<BR>
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We are not a Seattle, San Francisco or Washington DC, won’t be in the next 100 years and it sounds like we don’t want to be. Comparing Moscow with 12,000 permanent residents with cities of over 1 million doesn’t work. We have limited resources. We are not a blue collar town and don’t have an industrial base to build from. But we are very fortunate to have two major universities nearby and should capitalize on what they have to offer.<BR>
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At the MCA Smart Growth Forum on Monday night, Robin Woods and David Alexander explained why their companies are in Moscow instead of Seattle or San Francisco. Sue Hovey and Bev Bafus just said the same thing. It’s quality of life. Quality of life is not an interstate, a Wal-Mart or a strip-mine. It is a sense of community, the arts, walk ability, Farmers Market, parks, open spaces, safety, good schools, Paradise Path/Latah Trail, etc. <BR>
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Thanks to the current City Council and Mayor, we have a new fiber optic loop funded by a grant, the first new building in Alturas Technology Park Phase II and a proposed Urban Renewal District between the Downtown and the University. These are certainly not examples of “No-Growth” and “Anti-Business” that the conservative candidates keep touting. They are also examples of a positive attitude for the future instead of dwelling in the past. <BR>
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B. J. Swanson<BR>
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</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12.0px'><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><I>“The affluence of the few presupposes the indigence of the many." Adam Smith</I></FONT></SPAN>
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