County's building plan hurts taxpayers

Our county commissioners are again pushing for this grandiose plan to solve the problems at the downtown county campus. There is no doubt that these facilities are outmoded and over-utilized due to growth over the last 20 years and a viable solution is definitely needed. But it seems to me that a total lack of "real future vision" is evident by our three CEOs in charge of Kootenai County.

Constructing more buildings on this small footprint downtown just adds more to the congestion problem that already exists at that facility and the downtown core area. Parking is a major problem and has been for years so obviously a multi-story parking facility would be needed along with more building space on this cramped footprint. How many more millions of dollars are we talking here?

To quote that it may take $20-30 million and probably eventually much more for this mega project is an understatement but the real costs are not the problem; it's just how, where and what the money is spent on.

Taxpayers will be the ones footing the bill and we all know that's becoming a never ending source of revenue. No property owner in Kootenai County will be exempt from the tax increases necessary to fund this proposed project.

A much more practical solution does exist that would solve the problems we currently have and would allow for the future growth of Kootenai County well into the next century. The county already owns approximately 96 acres of land at the jail and fairgrounds area on Government Way. New facilities could be carefully planned, designed and built there without adding more congestion to the downtown area and parking would never again be a problem because we have ample space.

The downtown buildings, which have a much greater commercial value than their current use, could be sold off and put back on the tax rolls, adding considerable tax revenue to the county coffers while the sale proceeds would augment the construction costs of new facilities on Government Way. A very simple economic rule of real estate applies here: What is the highest and best use of this property?

Our county fairgrounds should eventually be relocated to the west and near freeway access where open land is still available. I believe the current fairgrounds occupy only 40-some acres which limits any future expansion. A new fairground facility on a larger parcel could be designed and built which would attract a greater revenue stream and serve as a gateway to Kootenai County. It was suggested to me when I campaigned for county commissioner that if we had the space, a horse racing facility could be built and apparently there is some demand for that activity since we have a large equestrian interest and following in Kootenai County. Once the fairgrounds are relocated, some of that prime commercial land, possibly 20 or more acres, could be sold and added back on the tax rolls. The idea of the fairgrounds being relocated elsewhere has been considered time and again over the years.

Our commissioners seem reluctant to consider any options other than their own and it's time to realize that real "common sense" alternatives do exist and they should be taken into serious and careful consideration before obligating the citizens and taxpayers of Kootenai County with $20-40 million or more of indebtedness that suits their own personal agendas.

It's time we taxpayers insist that they consider other options and alternatives and refuse to accept the "tunnel vision" exhibited by our current county commissioners and demand that they look and plan well into the future for all of us in Kootenai County.

Tim Herzog is a Post Falls resident who was defeated in bids for the county commission in 2008 and 2012.