Vacant property

One of the great mysteries is that there are buildings sitting vacant because of our current economy. Could it be that building owners are holding out to rent properties at too high a price?

Our community is attempting to grow. There is a need for many types of specialty shops that serve various needs that are not being met by the current local businesses. My wife must make shopping trips to Wenatchee or Spokane (a 120 or 200 mile round trip) about once per month. That is expensive! That is money spent for gas, and in other cities, not supporting our local economy.

I wonder how many other people are forced to do the same thing because national companies are not locating here.

We would like to see our community improve. Perhaps one way to "discourage" buildings standing empty would be for the city or county government to place a special tax, or raise the property tax, on unoccupied buildings. The empty buildings do present a small, but significant, danger with respect to fire and vandalism.

I wonder how many owners of vacant buildings consider the true cost to themselves of letting a building stand vacant, compared to getting some return on their investment. We cannot expect them to lease or rent at a loss, but what are they currently receiving? What are the owners of vacant property doing to support our community?

Thomas Fancher

Moses Lake