The Sept. 25 Columbian story “New growth spurt for 192nd Avenue: $50 million retail project aims to take advantage of arrival of Fisher Investments” outlines the support required for Fisher’s plan to bring more out-of-state business to this area.
Now, why would we want to do this? It is giving away the farm.
Businesses brought in like this are mostly filled with employees brought in from other states doing financial work and not producing a product, thus not doing any good for those unemployed here.
The other jobs added in our area are lower level support jobs.
The imported people get a free ride by not paying income taxes, and overload the good school systems that attracted them here, systems that are already suffering from overcrowding and under-funding. Additionally, more infrastructure such as water, sewers and roads are required to support their new buildings. In total then, these plans are exploitation, resulting in a net loss rather than a gain for our county.
Garry Layton
Camas