COUNTY: Parking problem solved

I rarely send letters to the editor anymore because of lack of interest but responding to the front-page article about the parking situation at the county building seems appropriate.

It is my opinion that someone has their head “where the sun doesn’t shine!” Long range planning for Kootenai County is seriously needed but to think that this would be a solution for the next 20 years…Get Real!

The county owns approximately 96 acres on Government Way at the jail and fairgrounds. The whole downtown campus should be re-located there and parking would never ever be a problem again.

The fairgrounds needs to consider moving west where a lot of land is still open and available and instead of being on only 43 acres, they can probably get 80 acres or so and can then be developed as a real showcase of a fairgrounds and probably attract business from the Spokane Fairgrounds. It was also expressed to me that horse racing may be a possibility which could bring in much needed revenue.

The jail can be easily expanded and also an underground tunnel from the jail to the court buildings would alleviate a lot of safety and transportation concerns and costs.

Some of these ideas actually came from county employees so I guess those who work for the county don’t actually have any input! I think the ones who do the “day to day” jobs have a much better idea of what is really needed than the three CEOs in their ivory tower, just saying!

Longer term common sense planning is needed and that prime downtown real estate is worth a ton of money which could be sold to offset the costs of relocation. Downtown is more suited to retail, professional office space, restaurants, etc. The other benefit would be having that prime real estate back on the tax rolls! It is a well-known fact that commercial development pays taxes at “full boat” which helps reduce the residential burden.

Also, the full 96 acres would probably not be needed and a portion of that prime commercial real estate could also be sold off and put back on the tax rolls to further offset development costs.

One stop shopping for all the county services in one location makes more common sense than wasting money on expansion and extra parking facilities in that already overcrowded part of town.

I campaigned for commissioner several times on a “grass roots common sense” platform but money (campaign financing) seems to win in the end and I’m done with all that political nonsense!

But what do I really know anyway? I’m just a Realtor thinking about “highest and best use!”

TIM HERZOG

Post Falls