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<p class=MsoNormal>Please mark your calendars and attend two City budget
hearings this week:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span
style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]>Monday, Aug. 4, 7:00 PM, City Council
Chambers: Moscow City Budget Hearing<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span
style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></span></span><![endif]>Thursday, Aug. 7, <span style='color:black'>7:00</span><b><u><span
style='color:red'> AM</span></u><span style='color:red'>,</span></b> City
Council Chambers: Urban Renewal Agency Budget Hearing<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>I am opposed to the continuing
expansion of City government as demonstrated by the $55 million budget.
According to The Daily News, the City budget five years ago was $35
million. That is a 9.5</span><span style='color:#1F497D'>% </span><span
style='color:black'>annual growth rate. I doubt your income or budget
have expanded at that high rate. The budget includes three new
positions. The proposed City Economic Development Director at a cost of
$86,000 is certainly redundant considering we already have the Moscow Chamber
of Commerce, Latah Economic Development Council, Clearwater Economic
Development Association and many local realtors. In the difficult economy
we are experiencing now, this is not a good time to up-staff and expand City
government. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>The Urban Renewal Agency wants to
increase administration to $30,000 and to fund one-half of the $86,000 economic
development director’s position. The URA wants to fund this
expansion by using taxes from the Alturas Urban Renewal District. They
also want Alturas to loan money to fund administration of the Legacy Crossing
Urban Renewal District. Please tell the URA not to do this. Instead
of up-staffing, increasing administration and loaning funds to Legacy crossing,
that money could be preserved to close out the Alturas Urban Renewal Taxing
District within two years and return the approximately $300,000 annual tax
revenue to lower the property tax bills of all property owners in Moscow and
Latah County. If the URA continues to use Alturas funds for Legacy
Crossing, increasing administration, etc., there will be no benefit to the
property taxpayers until 2016, if then. The Urban Renewal Agency has not
demonstrated prudent financial management of previous projects including 200+%
cost overruns on completing Alturas Phase II and purchasing undeveloped land at
developed prices. As another example, at the July 24 URA meeting, Pat
Raffee, the URA consultant said Beebe & Germer offered to sell the URA four
acres in the Legacy Crossing District for $20 million. She said that was
too high but suggested the URA buy an option on it. These examples
do not give me confidence in the URA’s management of our tax dollars.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>I am not opposed to Legacy
Crossing if it is properly managed. It is highly unlikely in these
economic times that Legacy Crossing will be developed at all in the near
future. Forcing some kind of development before its time will only result
in failure. URA consultant Pat Raffee estimated the first project might be 2½
years away. Again, now is not the time to up-staff and add
administration at the expense of property taxpayers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>The URA budget hearing is at 7:00 <span style='color:red'>AM</span>
on Thursday, Aug 7. The URA Commissioners say they want public input on
the budget, but the 7:00 AM meetings are not well attended. If you have
an opinion on the budget, please do attend the hearing or contact one of the
URA Commissioners:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>John McCabe, <a
href="mailto:john.p.mccabe@wellsfargo.com">john.p.mccabe@wellsfargo.com</a><span
style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>John Weber, <a
href="mailto:jweber@ci.moscow.id.us">jweber@ci.moscow.id.us</a><span
style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>Brandy Sullivan, <a
href="mailto:brando@moscow.com">brando@moscow.com</a><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>Robin Woods, <a
href="mailto:rwoods@alturasanalytics.com">rwoods@alturasanalytics.com</a><span
style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>Stephen Drown, <a
href="mailto:srdrown@uidaho.edu">srdrown@uidaho.edu</a><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>Jack Nelson, <a
href="mailto:jnelson@latah.id.us">jnelson@latah.id.us</a><span
style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'>Tom Lamar, <a
href="mailto:lamar@pcei.org">lamar@pcei.org</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>These are very uncertain economic times. With oil
prices at record highs and resulting high food prices, layoffs, etc., citizens
are tightening their budgets, the City and the URA should do the same.
Please tell them this is not the time to increase staff and administration at
taxpayer expense.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>B. J. Swanson<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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