<DIV>Steven asked me:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>"Yes, the Palouse Mall has kicked out quite a few 'local' businesses <BR>and replaced them with national chains. But just what is it that you <BR>think the city council could have done about that? How could they <BR>have protected the businesses? Personally, I think that what the <BR>mall did was/is wrong, but as a landlord, I guess that's their <BR>right. I don't see how you can drag the city into it."</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Steve, I don't honestly think it has been difficult for the government to impede businesses from succeeding, particularly this local government. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>There are many things the City Council can do in reaction to the Palouse Mall discriminating against local businesses. I am sure many people can think of better things than I can but here are a few:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>1) Deny any tax breaks</DIV>
<DIV>2) Create a long and underfunded road construction project around all the roads that make mall entrance easy. </DIV> <DIV>3) Rezone so no car sales or events may take place at the Mall.</DIV> <DIV>4) Increase the parking requirements for the mall. </DIV> <DIV>5) Raise taxes on national chain stores</DIV> <DIV>6) Promote Downtown and business elsewhere in Moscow</DIV> <DIV>7) Prohibit the extension of the building</DIV> <DIV>8) Enforce every environmental, zoning, fire, safety, and disability access law for the city, state, and federal government. </DIV> <DIV>9) Limit water availability</DIV> <DIV>10) Launch public protests</DIV> <DIV>11) Create a government information campaign as to what the Mall is doing</DIV> <DIV>12) Increase fines for violations they frequently break</DIV> <DIV>13) May the Mayor, President of UI, the City Council, and Latah County Commissioners ask them not to act in such a discriminatory fashion against Moscow owned businesses.
</DIV> <DIV>14) Change the bus routes not to include the Mall</DIV> <DIV>15) Place a curfew on teens so they cannot hang out there. </DIV> <DIV>16) Enforce no loitering laws at the Mall</DIV> <DIV>17) Enforce the law strictly on Mall grounds</DIV> <DIV>18) Give no aid or government assistance to the Mall or any business in the mall</DIV> <DIV>19) Build a Wal-Mart Super Center on the other side of town so shoppers go the opposite direction.</DIV> <DIV>20) Write the corporate leaders of the National Chain stores explaining how their presents in a Mall that is discriminatory makes their business look unfriendly to the local community</DIV> <DIV>21) Prevent any more construction of housing and businesses near or around the site.</DIV> <DIV>22) Allow noisy smelly industrial plants and construction to take place on all sides of the Mall. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Those are my ideas. I am sure others have more and better ones to make the Mall more
friendly to the people they are suppose to be supporting, and give them a paycheck. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Best,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Donovan</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><BR><BR><B><I>Steven Basoa <sbasoa@moscow.com></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">On Oct 29, 2007, at 8:26 PM, Donovan Arnold wrote:<BR><BR>>The City Council didn't approve the rezone when I was there. They <BR>might have changed their mind at a later date.<BR><BR>The city council (during Mayor Comstocks reign) rejected the UI's <BR>rezone application twice before (apparently) approving it on the <BR>third attempt. The reason they rejected it the first time was <BR>because the representative from the UI was totally inept and clueless <BR>and could not answer any of the council's questions. At the same <BR>meeting I believe they passed the Thompson family's request to annex <BR>the property
across from the cemetery. The difference in the two <BR>presentations was amazing. Shelly Bennett had done her homework, <BR>presented it well and was able to answer every question thrown her <BR>way. The UI representative knew virtually nothing about the UI's <BR>request and was totally unprepared for the meeting. For the second <BR>application, the UI sent one of their VP's who read a letter from <BR>President White and repeated the same spiel from the first meeting. <BR>The VP was also unprepared and unable to answer the same questions. <BR>I wasn't at the third meeting but I assume they finally sent someone <BR>who actually had a clue.<BR><BR>>Tidyman's is still in business, just not in Moscow.<BR><BR>I don't know about the Tidyman's chain, but the Moscow store was <BR>hugely hurt by the arrival of Winco. I'm guessing that was the main <BR>reason the Moscow store went under.<BR><BR>>True, it was the County, not the City, that pulled the trigger on <BR>Naylor
Farms, but I bet you $100 the City would not have ruled any <BR>differently and would >have carried on the fight against them is they <BR>got approval from the County. To a business, it doesn't matter if it <BR>is the actual city or county killing their >business, it is still <BR>killing their business when they try to local here. 70% of the county <BR>is the City.<BR><BR>I really don't see how you can blame the city of Moscow for something <BR>they might or might not have done. To tar and feather the city <BR>council for the Naylor Farm issue is silly.<BR><BR>>I think sales tax is the problem with the state government, <BR>especially on food and OTC drugs and education materials. Moscow has <BR>to high of taxes >because of school levies. I am not saying education <BR>isn't worth funding well, but there is breaking point for what many <BR>people on what they can afford to >give and the MSD has long passed it.<BR><BR>I agree with you about the state taxing
food and medicine. And the <BR>extremely high property taxes, most of which goes to the school <BR>district.<BR><BR>>Best,<BR>>Donovan<BR><BR>In another email Donovan wrote:<BR>"Many local businesses have been pushed out of the Palouse Mall and <BR>the city has done nothing to protect them."<BR><BR>Yes, the Palouse Mall has kicked out quite a few 'local' businesses <BR>and replaced them with national chains. But just what is it that you <BR>think the city council could have done about that? How could they <BR>have protected the businesses? Personally, I think that what the <BR>mall did was/is wrong, but as a landlord, I guess that's their <BR>right. I don't see how you can drag the city into it.<BR><BR>Take care,<BR>Steven<BR><BR><BR><BR>=======================================================<BR>List services made available by First Step Internet, <BR>serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>http://www.fsr.net
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