Alturas

[bill london <london@moscow.com>]

    My thanks to Ted McDonough for the report (front page Daily News,
Thursday, Sept 5) on the soon-to-be-finalized divorce of the Urban
Renewal Agency and Alturas Tech Park.  The URA funded the creation of
Alturas with our tax money and the assumption that high tech businesses
were going to fill Alturas, first an initial phase and then two future
sections.
    It didn't work out that way.  Even the first phase of Alturas is not
filled yet, despite the willingness of the URA to ignore the original
mandate and open the site to lawyers, accountants, and other offices.
    So, I am glad that the URA has decided that any expansion of Alturas
or the creation of other technology parks is best left to private
developers.  Of course, those who constantly strive toward that elusive
goal of Economic Development are trying to think of new ways the URA can
spend tax money.  But I am more hopeful that the decisions may be made
less blindly in the future.
    My favorite quote reported in the article is from Gary Riedner, city
supervisor: "One of the things Alturas taught us is we need to have a
business plan."
    About time.  Perhaps Alturas was a good lesson for Moscow's economic
planners: Resist your urge to offer taxpayer money to the fickle gods of
Economic Development.