Say What? Special Edition

The wit and wisdom of Moscow City Councilman Tom "Last Liberal Standing" Lamar, as displayed in today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

I am not convinced that it is legal for an Idaho city to sell water to a private entity in another state

That's funny. I'm not convinced that it's legal for an Idaho city to oppose a private development in another state.

Why should Moscow give up its precious resource to benefit another county and a private company?

Excuse, me, MOSCOW'S precious resource? The last time I checked, the Grande Ronde aquifer extended under Washington, Idaho, and Oregon, with the vast majority underneath Whitman County and Washington.

I have not seen a retail study showing that a retail development of this size - 714,000 square feet is needed or justified.

Here you go, Tom.

Locating a giant shopping center in an unincorporated area is poor community planning. It runs contrary to Moscow's comprehensive plan.

That would be great, if THE HAWKINS DEVELOPMENT WAS IN MOSCOW. But it isn't. It will be built in Whitman County and the concept FITS PERFECTLY WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. Arrogant jerk. You plan your community, we'll plan ours.

It will be more difficult for Moscow residents to reach via walking, biking or bus than our current shopping choices.

Let's see. Most Moscow residents live on the other side of town from Winco, the Palouse Mall, Tri-State, Wal-Mart, etc. If they are willing to walk a mile or more to shop now, an extra few hundred yards to get to the Hawkins development shouldn't deter them. Of course, Lamar's premise is absurd. How many people do you see walking or biking to the mall or Winco? And I imagine Moscow city buses will go to the Hawkins mall. If not, I'm sure the Wheatland Express will.

Moscow residents who work in Pullman likely will face longer commute times.

That's too stupid to even address.

How will this long-term commitment of water affect the future ability of Moscow businesses to grow? Or our ability to attract new businesses?

Here's how, Tom. This whole agreement is a Win-Win-Win-Win. Hawkins wins by avoiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in further lengthy litigation. Those concerned about water and the environment win because Moscow's municipal water and sewer system will be far more effective at conserving water and preventing pollution than anything Hawkins would construct. Whitman County wins because the corridor is now open for business and all the millions of extra dollars in tax revenue that means as opposed to Hawkins pulling the plug and scaring off all future corridor development. And Moscow wins because they get a piece of the sales tax action by selling water and sewer at a premium, existing Moscow businesses will benefit greatly from the spillover from Hawkins, and the land behind Staples, Wal-Mart, and the Palouse Mall just got a lot more attractive to new businesses. In fact, I would argue Moscow made out the best inthe deal. By selling Hawkins water, Moscow has forestalled any county or City of Pullman water services in the corridor for now, which of course will forestall any further development in the corridor. Any new businesses attracted by the Hakwins development will go into Moscow.