vision2020
Re: Alturas Park
bill london wrote:
> The commentary about Alturas Technology Park by Hodge, Pernula, Weber and
> Haynes (Daily News, January 13) did not answer all my questions about the
> park and its future.
I'd be interested in seeing/reading the comments if anyone has
an easy way to get them to me.
> Third, from my conversations with city officials, I understand that the
> payment of the Urban Renewal Agency bonds is so far behind (since Alturas is
> growing much slower than anticipated) the the City of Moscow has been forced
> to take over the bonds.
Is this confirmed? During the process, I must have raised thisquestion a
hundred times, always receiving assurances that the City
would not be at risk, that the psuedo Urban Renewal Agency
would bear the entire risk. I was explicitly told that in the event
of default or non-payment, the City would not be involved. If this
is, in fact true, I can unequivocally say that the people of Moscow
were lied to by its government officials and its
elected representatives. (I can name names but I don't think
that would be productive).
The cynical among us would say, "so what?" Show me a
government that doesn't lie. The truth is that I don't have
a good rejoinder to this response only to say that when people lie,
it does far more harm than the actual, in this case, potential
monetary loss. Trust in government is fundamental to a healthy
democracy.
I would raise the possibility that if, in fact, the City is
covering bond payments, this is possibly unlawful.
Bond issues must generally go before the people for
approval. If the City is "loaning" money to the
psuedo Urban Renewal Agency, one could argue
that this is de facto bond underwriting without
voter approval. It warrants further investigation.
I caught the City attempting to do something
unlawful in the past and you know what they say
about history repeating itself.
--
Greg Brown, Associate Professor
(gregb@alaskapacific.edu)
Alaska Pacific University
(907) 564-8267
Fax: (907) 562-4276
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