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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Representatives Trail and Ringo:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>An article in the Daily News (Dec. 19) indicated
that Moscow City Council member Walter Steed is trying to change Idaho law in
order to sell Moscow's water to the Hawkins' retail development on the Pullman
Highway. Steed is now lobbying legislators statewide for their support,
and I urge you to tell him NO.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Steed needs to end this bizarre quest to sell our
water to facilitate sprawl development in Washington state.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Moscow's water is pumped from an aquifer that gets
smaller every year. Despite this dwindling resource, Steed wants the city
to pump even more and ship it across the state line to flush toilets at the
Hawkins' development.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Hawkins' retail development, totally located in
Washington state, will have profoundly negative impacts on Moscow's
economy. Sales tax dollars will flow out of Moscow from sales made at
Hawkin's stores. Also, remember that new retail does not create new jobs
or new wealth. It only reshuffles the existing dollars. Some Moscow stores
will likely relocate to the new mall, and more Moscow stores will close because
of that new development. And, if Steed has his way, Moscow would be
foolishly funding those economic problems by providing the water that makes it
possible to build the development in the first place.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Steed is wasting his time, but worse he is wasting
the time of the Moscow City Council and city staff and now legislators statewide
in his quest to facilitate development in an adjoining state. Please tell
him NO.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Please respond. I would like to know your
opinion on this matter.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Bill London</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>