Sounds Republican to me

I was surprised to read that one of Rocky Anderson's advisors, former Mayor Ted Wilson, has come around to advocating a strategy for downtown development that sounds a lot like Molonai Hola's "L" Plan. (Wilson & Webb, Sept. 14) Does this mean that Wilson has finally seen the light and has converted to Republicanism? Has LaVarr Webb succeeded in retrieving him from the dark side? Is Wilson going to vote for Hola?

No, that would be too much to hope for. It is obvious that Wilson has still not fully arrived, because he would deviate from Hola's "L" Plan just enough to cave in to Nordstrom and Boyer's demands. A Republican like Hola would never do that, because Republicans do not believe in meeting the demands of extortionists — even when such come in the form of otherwise respectable businesses.

The Republican way would be to leverage the situation into a truly win/win scenario: Permit Boyer to add a couple department store anchors to Gateway, such as Nordstrom and Target, provided that (1) Boyer agree to create a mixed use development within a severely distressed neighborhood on the west side, (2) Nordstrom agree to operate a Nordstrom Rack within that development, (3) Boyer and Nordstrom agree to help locate a new comparable tenant for the Crossroads Mall, (4) Boyer and Nordstrom agree to fully compensate the LDS Church for any losses incurred due to the move. Isn't being a Republican grand?

Micah Bruner

Vice Chair

Republicans for Civil and Informed Participation