<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>God this is the such a beautiful email. Way to go Amy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>David V. Gray<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> missoulagov-bounces@cmslists.com
[mailto:missoulagov-bounces@cmslists.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>amy casamassa<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, October 06, 2009 1:30 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> missoulagov@cmslists.com<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [MissoulaGov] Committee Update 9-30-09 Bikes on Sidewalks<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>I completely agree with the statement below
from <a href="mailto:kjerrim@missoula.com" target="_blank">kjerrim@missoula.com</a>.
<span style='color:black'>In addition, I think</span> trying to paint cyclists
as toddler-smashing, downtown-ruining, menaces to society is <span
style='color:black'>just plain silly</span>. Accidents do happen due to
people not paying attention<span style='color:black'>,</span> not knowing the
rules, or just plain not caring about others, but for the most part we live in
a pretty tolerant place. I consider myself progressive, but I think a silly
road to go down is <span style='color:black'>believing that </span>legislat<span
style='color:black'>ing</span> tolerance and courteousness<span
style='color:black'> will really stop intolerance or discourteousness</span>.<span
style='color:black'> </span> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>
I appreciate <span style='color:black'>what</span> the BID is attempting to do
for bikes from Br<span style='color:black'>oa</span>dway to the X's, but these
ordinances that pertain to behavior have got to stop. Bums and bikes are
not the reason why downtowns are failing. Are we really pretending that
there is any truth to that? You could strategically place proximity mines
in front of Super Walmart and people would still fight to get in there.
We all know <span style='color:black'>that a large reason downtowns </span>are
failing<span style='color:black'> is</span> because it costs considerably more
to buy something from a<span style='color:black'> small</span> local <span
style='color:black'>business</span> than it does to buy it from a box store.
Despite the fact that I know that, I make a conscious effort to buy locally<span
style='color:black'>. There are many reasons why, not the least of which
being that I love this town and the character that comes with it</span>.
I find that the things I buy may cost more downtown, but are more special <span
style='color:black'>(and let’s face it, less toxic) </span>than things I can
find in a box store. Last year all the gifts I bought for Christmas came
from stores downtown or south of the bridge on Higgins. I am willing to
spend more to keep businesses alive in Missoula. <span style='color:black'>I
feel like Missoula isn’t an over-regulated place and I think that means we
trust our citizenry to make choices with the community in mind. I
understand that </span>the BID<span style='color:black'> and City Council are
working towards making downtown a desirable and convenient place to shop, but I
don’t think the way to do that</span> is to make downtown Missoula a
whitewashed, cutsey-bootsie, <span style='color:black'>over-regulated, </span>Park
City-esque mountain town<span style='color:black'>. Which is what I see
happening with these laws to stop people from doing things that a portion of
the population finds annoying. Not dangerous-annoying. If that is
the case,</span> then those downtown businesses can kiss my dollars goodbye. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Amy T. Cas<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>On Mon, Oct 5, 2009 at 6:38 PM, <<a
href="mailto:kjerrim@missoula.com" target="_blank">kjerrim@missoula.com</a>>
wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I think the whole point I am hearing raised is enough with
all these ordinances pertaining to behavioral problems that some find annoying
but others may not.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>