Vision for 'health corridor' isn't 20/20

You thought your BEAUTIFUL downtown park was expensive, wait!

“A vision for the ‘Health Corridor’”

Brought to you by the folks they call “Technical Assistance Panel” — TAP. TAP was facilitated by CDA 2030 and sponsored by Kootenai Health and Parkwood Business Properties.

The “Health Corridor” is described as between Interstate 90 to the north, Government Way to the east, one half block south of West Davidson Avenue to the south and Northwest Boulevard to the west.

This TAP panel contains five people from Boise, one from Seattle and one from Portland. It’s called the “Health Corridor” panel.

The main problem they hope to solve is traffic congestion. Where were Coeur d’Alene’s planners as they bowed to the KMC requests to grow ever larger right there?

In the area described, there is one hospital, nine clinics, and one nurse’s facility. Six eating establishments, four banks, four retail businesses, three apartments, two hotels, three child-care facilities, two gas stations, two churches, one fitness center, one senior center, and 400 residential houses. Added up that’s 11 total health care places and 429 private businesses and homes.

Who are we most concerned about? Must we disrupt 429 privately owned businesses and homeowners?

I’ve read the report and if it’s a “Health Corridor” with hospital and clinics, why are they adding more pedestrian and cycling facilities? What is it really?

It was never intended by past city planners to allow 429 businesses and residents to be uprooted and forced out of their homes by a so-called “Health Corridor.”

Expand the health complex where land (undeveloped) on the prairie will accommodate a “Health Corridor” with parks, cycling, etc. without the loss of current property tax revenue, which will cause increased property taxes for all city and county taxpayers. People who have lived there for years, having their property zoning changed from residential to commercial erasing their neighborhoods forever, some forced to sell to government when the Urban Renewal Agency exercises their right of eminent domain.

The only purpose of including Ignite/LCDC urban renewal, the property tax thieves, is they have the legal power of eminent domain (government taking of private property). Don’t be fooled. What they plan to replace the now private ownership is government buildings such as (their suggestions) Veteran Administration buildings, Heritage Health, education facilities, all non-taxable. You the homeowner and private business owners will pay for services to these non-taxable units: fire, police, street maintenance, parks maintenance, cycle spaces, etc.

It is a Coeur d’Alene city government decision. Your mayor may recuse himself (ask him why) but he is still your mayor. Ignite/LCDC urban renewal can hardly wait to start another “Revenue Allocation Area” (district) and reap millions of your property tax dollars for another 20+ years without a vote of you, the taxpayers. They will use rezoning and eminent domain to TAKE private homes and businesses.

Urban renewal? Where is the blight? Let them know your thoughts.

Please inquire at Coeur d’Alene City Planners for your copy of the “Vision for Health Corridor” report.

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Kathy Sims is a Coeur d’Alene resident and former state legislator.