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f ~ PUBLIC HEARING TESTIlVIONY FOR T~iE MARION COUNTY BOARD OF CONIIVIISSIONERS AND THE SALEM AREA TRANSIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS AucusT 21,1996 Good morning, my name is Jim Griggs. I am an attorney with the law firm of Saalfeld, Griggs, Gorsuch, Alexander & Emerick, PC, wluch has its offices at Suite 300, Park Place, 250 Church Street SE, Salem. I am here today on behalf of Concemed Businesses to t~estify in favor of the proposed development of the Courthouse Square by a public-private partnership. This project evidences the type of positive cooperation between govemmental agencies and the private sector wluch we encourage and from wluch our community will greatly benefit In reviewing the general information which has been made available conceming the Courthouse Square development, it is our position that this project will greatly benefit and continue the revitalization of our downtown core area. As an organization of private business owners, many of wluch have vacant space for rent, we recognize that the new office-retail complex will adversely affect vacaacy rates in other competing properties over a period of one to two years. However, the long term impact of this project will greafly serve to enhance the vitality of our downtown and improve both its livability and economic viability. We would encourage all of the participants to carefully guard the public trust with which they have been vested. As a high pmfile exarnple of the public-private sector paztuerslup format, it is STA'IF1~ffidT (i:\WPDOCSVCORVANE'NCG.CON (i21/96) (KG;jw)