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Andreas,<br><br>I understand that big business does not bring as much as lets say a mom and pop store, to our community. It does bring 10-15% of taxes into out community. Money that we can use for our community. Along with the jobs, some managerial some lower end, but these businesses are providing jobs.<br><br>I would rather have our council look into some of these corporate businesses, instead of pushing them out of Moscow. Maybe a costco?<br><br>Matt<br><br>> Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2008 23:16:16 -0800<br>> From: ophite@gmail.com<br>> To: mattd2107@hotmail.com<br>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Will Moscow support Hawkins sprawl-mall?<br>> CC: london@moscow.com; vision2020@moscow.com<br>> <br>> Matt --<br>> <br>> There is a basic economic difference between recapturing dollars spent<br>> in Moscow and drawing in dollars from elsewhere. One recycles value.<br>> The other creates value.<br>> <br>> Retail does the former. Local retail actually does the former<br>> perfectly, whereas major chains ships the majority to their<br>> stockholders and corporate headquarters. Everything else does the<br>> latter.<br>> <br>> I am not particularly well-disposed toward replacing perfect recyclers<br>> of value with imperfect recyclers of value, even though the latter<br>> might be more efficient for the economy as a whole.<br>> <br>> -- ACS<br>> <br>> On Jan 12, 2008 9:46 PM, Matt Decker <mattd2107@hotmail.com> wrote:<br>> ><br>> > All,<br>> ><br>> > In regards to Hawkins. How many with a raise of hands have complained about<br>> > how Moscow has so few choices in regards to restaurants. Wouldn't it be nice<br>> > if this mall brought an Olive Garden? Maybe a Red Lobster? Perhaps a new<br>> > Indian food establishment.<br>> ><br>> > What if a brought a higher end clothes business, or a 20 plex movie<br>> > facility. In other words businesses that we could actually shop locally<br>> > instead of heading to Lewiston or Spocompton.<br>> ><br>> > A local WSU professor did a study in which he states that 80 million dollars<br>> > is being spent out of town annually. Now I believe you would have to be<br>> > stubborn to think that Moscow will never grow. Or that the corridor is not a<br>> > goldmine for businesses. With Idaho now the fastest growing state, we need<br>> > to get a grasp of how we can build, and do it smartly. Granted this does not<br>> > concern Hawkins, being that it's proposed to be in Washington, regardless,<br>> > we must take notes.<br>> ><br>> > We all know that have a Schweitzer or a full Alturas park is optimal, our<br>> > current council included. There are ways to attract these great businesses.<br>> > Having a town with some choices is one of them. We all love this town, but a<br>> > few more options on shopping choices would get very few complaints. Students<br>> > included.<br>> ><br>> > Moscow has and will always have a retail/ construction backbone to it.<br>> > Many are dependent upon this. Without this, many will suffer. Not everyone<br>> > has the benefits of a union or a university. Point being is that many within<br>> > Moscow feel our current council understands that 3% growth, along with some<br>> > other businesses added, is not the end of our great town.<br>> ><br>> > So with sprawl being an issue. I have some questions for all<br>> ><br>> > 1. How can we have choices without getting away from the downtown area?<br>> ><br>> > 2. Should the corridor ever be developed?<br>> ><br>> > 3. How can we attract high end tech businesses?<br>> ><br>> > 4. How can we save on water?<br>> ><br>> > 5. How can we save money within our current city administration and faculty?<br>> ><br>> ><br>> > Take care cow<br>> > Matt<br>> ><br>> ><br>> > ________________________________<br>> > From: london@moscow.com<br>> > To: vision2020@moscow.com<br>> > Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:43:16 -0800<br>> > Subject: [Vision2020] Will Moscow support Hawkins sprawl-mall?<br>> ><br>> ><br>> ><br>> > Won't it be grand? The Moscow-Pullman Highway turned into one long strip<br>> > mall.....<br>> > And you can read in today's Lewiston Tribune (below) that the first big<br>> > step in that direction will likely soon be taken. The new Moscow City<br>> > Council is under pressure to sell use of Moscow utilities (like sewage and<br>> > water, and possibly police/fire protection) to the planned Hawkins shopping<br>> > center located in Washington state on the Moscow-Pullman Highway. The new<br>> > council members (pragmatic politicians that they are) seem to be willing to<br>> > ignore the real issues and fall for a cheap payoff.<br>> > If the Moscow council ships utilities across the state line to enable this<br>> > strip mall, Moscow will face a series of problems, including:<br>> > --depletion of the aquifer that supplies this town with most of its water<br>> > --massive sprawl that will further uglify the Palouse and ravage existing<br>> > downtown vitality<br>> > --bankruptcy of Moscow businesses unable to compete with this new shopping<br>> > mall<br>> > --continuing future upgrades of Moscow infrastructure to cover the demands<br>> > made by this extension of services, upgrades that will be paid for by Moscow<br>> > taxpayers<br>> > Is this what Moscow residents really want?<br>> > BL<br>> ><br>> > -----------------------------------------<br>> > LEWISTON TRIBUNE<br>> > Council shift changes outlook for proposed Hawkins development<br>> ><br>> ><br>> > By David Johnson<br>> ><br>> > Saturday, January 12, 2008<br>> > MOSCOW - Politics here may have shifted enough after the November election<br>> > to trigger talks about the city providing water and sewer services across<br>> > the state line for the proposed Hawkins Co. shopping center.<br>> > A majority of Moscow city councilors, Whitman County commissioners and a<br>> > spokesman for Hawkins told the Lewiston Tribune there's renewed potential<br>> > for cooperation.<br>> > This despite Moscow's continued legal challenge of Hawkins' attempts to<br>> > secure water rights to drill its own wells for the 700,000-square-foot<br>> > shopping mall.<br>> > The situation comes as the first of two public comment meetings has been<br>> > scheduled in Colfax on Monday. The county commissioners will take comments,<br>> > beginning at 1:30 p.m., regarding Hawkins' recent request for Whitman County<br>> > to float revenue bonds of more than $10 million to help fund infrastructure<br>> > (including water and sewer) for the development.<br>> > A Whitman County pro-business citizens group, meanwhile, Friday endorsed<br>> > the proposed bond issue and called on Moscow officials to drop their water<br>> > rights appeal against Hawkins.<br>> > "It's clear Moscow's appeals are not about water but about keeping out<br>> > particular kinds of businesses," April Coggins, spokeswoman for Businesses<br>> > and Residents for Economic Opportunity wrote in a news release. "That<br>> > attitude was rejected by Moscow voters in November and it is our hope that<br>> > the new Moscow city council will see things differently and seek to<br>> > cooperate with their neighbors."<br>> > Moscow's waterlines extend right up to the Hawkins property, and the sewage<br>> > treatment plant is located nearby.<br>> > "Hawkins is always open to talking to the city of Moscow," said Jeff De<br>> > Voe, project manager for the proposed shopping center. He declined further<br>> > comment because of the pending legal appeal.<br>> > It remains unclear how much money Moscow might make (through fees) or<br>> > Hawkins might save if the two entities can reach an agreement about water<br>> > and sewer services. But City Attorney Randy Fife and Public Works Director<br>> > Les McDonald confirmed that a hookup of services is both legal and<br>> > technically possible.<br>> > Whitman County Commissioners Jerry Finch and Greg Partch, who continue to<br>> > champion the Hawkins project as the beginning of retail development between<br>> > here and Pullman, said it's time for Moscow to either join ranks or get out<br>> > of the way.<br>> > "Moscow didn't say no, they said hell no," Finch said about the city's<br>> > refusal to cooperate with development of the mall. "Before the election,<br>> > it's pretty obvious the door had been slammed."<br>> > Three new Moscow councilors were elected in November and appear to have<br>> > become part of a five-member, pro-business majority. The three, Walter<br>> > Steed, Dan Carscallen and Wayne Krauss, along with council President Bill<br>> > Lambert, all said they are willing to talk with Hawkins and Whitman County<br>> > officials about water and sewer services. Councilor John Weber couldn't be<br>> > reached for comment, but indicated in the past he favors cooperation.<br>> > Only Councilor Tom Lamar, who has gone on record opposing retail<br>> > development in the corridor, balked at renewed talks. "I think the best way<br>> > for Hawkins to tap into our sewer and water is to locate in Moscow," Lamar<br>> > said.<br>> > Moscow Mayor Nancy Chaney, who's been accused of spearheading efforts to<br>> > thwart the Hawkins project, said her intentions are rooted in environmental<br>> > and groundwater concerns. That was confirmed by McDonald. "The mayor's<br>> > driving concern," he said, "is the water resource that the whole region<br>> > relies upon.<br>> > "Moscow has always been open to talking," said Chaney, adding that the<br>> > table for such discussion has already been set through the water rights<br>> > appeal. She said the city has proposed mediation as a means of settling the<br>> > issue.<br>> > But Partch said talks, if they happen, shouldn't happen in a legal arena.<br>> > Withdrawal of the appeal, he said, would be the best way for Moscow to show<br>> > good faith. "That would be a huge gesture on their part," he said, "and we<br>> > would certainly like to work with them."<br>> > The water rights appeal hearings are scheduled to begin in March.<br>> > "You can't build without water," Finch said, adding that many people think<br>> > Chaney is simply using the water issue as the only legal lever available to<br>> > stop retail development in the corridor. "She's the one who seems to be dead<br>> > set against it."<br>> > A shopping center, said Finch and Partch, is not necessarily a big water<br>> > consumer. But it would surely be a big revenue producer for the county.<br>> > According to county records, the undeveloped Hawkins acreage, which abuts<br>> > the Moscow city limits and the Washington-Idaho state line, currently<br>> > generates about $1,400 in annual tax revenue. If the mall is developed to<br>> > full capacity, it could produce nearly $1.8 million in annual property and<br>> > sales taxes for the county, De Voe told the commissioners when making his<br>> > pitch for the $10 million in infrastructure bonds.<br>> > While Moscow couldn't directly tap into those tax dollars, councilors here<br>> > said the city might be able to negotiate a fee for water and sewer services<br>> > that translates into a profit.<br>> > "If it's going to happen and we can sell them something," Lambert said,<br>> > "why not?"<br>> > "I'm very anxious to get together with entities across the border," said<br>> > Krauss.<br>> > "I would be interested in talking about the possibility of extending<br>> > services to Hawkins," Steed said.<br>> > "I think that I would," Carscallen said about talking. Whether Hawkins<br>> > connects to Moscow or drills its own wells, he said, doesn't seem to make a<br>> > lot of difference. "They're going to get it out of the same tub we're<br>> > getting ours."<br>> > Researchers have said the underground aquifers on the Palouse have been<br>> > steadily dropping. But, lacking data about just how much water is available,<br>> > the same scientists have said a water management challenge is at hand, not a<br>> > crisis.<br>> > Finch suggested its up to Moscow officials, since they've filed the appeal<br>> > against Hawkins, to propose new talks. "If they send us a letter, I would<br>> > find it more receptive," he said.<br>> > But Lambert said the catalyst for talks might have to come from elsewhere.<br>> > "I don't see why it would hurt for these people to approach us. Somebody has<br>> > to generate it, but it wouldn't be something generated by the council, per<br>> > se."<br>> > Moscow City Supervisor Gary Riedner said the city might reach out. "I will<br>> > do what we can to facilitate it at the mayor's direction."<br>> > "I know lots of people are talking about talking," Fife said.<br>> > De Voe, meanwhile, told Whitman County officials that his company wants to<br>> > begin construction this summer. As proposed, the shopping complex would be<br>> > anchored by a Lowe's home improvement center.<br>> > ---<br>> ><br>> > ________________________________<br>> > Watch "Cause Effect," a show about real people making a real difference.<br>> > Learn more<br>> > =======================================================<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>> > =======================================================<br>> ><br><br /><hr />Watch “Cause Effect,” a show about real people making a real difference. <a href='http://im.live.com/Messenger/IM/MTV/?source=text_watchcause' target='_new'>Learn more</a></body>
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