It’s a simple concept. And it will be a dreadful mistake, in my opinion, if Orem’s citizens and leaders don’t keep it in mind, and let the University Mall’s proposed expansion/re-invention slip out of our grasp.

How City Council member Hans Anderson and others can’t understand the common-sense logic and appeal of the proposed CDA (Community Development Agency) tool is beyond me.

The CDA is an incentive. It’s a legitimate offer from Orem City that says to Woodbury Corporation, “We understand that there’s huge economic value to Orem and its citizens to have you expand and further develop the property you own (and property you’ll further acquire). In order to encourage you to spend $500 million in Orem, rather than in some other community, we’re going to temporarily give you back a portion of the future tax increases you generate.”

It’s not a tax give-away. It’s an inducement. It doesn’t discriminate against other businesses. It helps other businesses.

If Orem doesn’t do it, I’m pretty sure Lehi, Spanish Fork, Pleasant Grove or some other community will. Does that make it right? Ask yourself that question next time you drive past the ba-zillion dollars of economic development that have gone up in North Lehi as a result of that city’s aggressive economic incentives. Remember, some of those buildings are business that Orem lost to a more assertive economic inducement program.

The old adage, “A rising tide lifts all boats” is especially applicable to this situation:

Orem City agrees to give part of future tax increases to Woodbury for a while.

Because of that incentive, Woodbury invests $500 million in new retail, office, hotel and housing space in Orem, rather than some other community.

That new development attracts additional business that will benefit Orem for the next 20, 30, maybe 50 years. Dollars and jobs that would otherwise have gone to other communities.

Orem’s economic climate improves, benefitting not just the Woodbury businesses, but non-Woodbury businesses throughout Orem as well.

Joe-Small-Plumber down the street gets more work because there are more businesses and homes demanding his services. Same for Carla-Convenience-Store operator, Rita-Retailer down the block from the new Woodbury development, and nearly every other business in Orem.

They all benefit because Orem provided an incentive to Woodbury to create new business infrastructure. A rising tide lifts all boats, not just Woodbury’s boat.

Oh, and by the way, Orem gets more tax revenue, not less. Tax revenue they’d not get if they didn’t incentivize Woodbury to create more taxable business and higher property value.

Unfair to small businesses? If my little ad agency, or Rita Retailer, Joe Small Plumber, etc. announce they’re capable and ready to invest $500 million in Orem or some other community, I’d expect local municipalities to come begging at my door with similar incentives. I don’t play in that league, however. So I’m happy to ride the coattails of the improved economic climate created by the Woodburys who have way more investment horsepower than I do. I own a small business, and I don’t call that unfair. I call it a rising tide that benefits my small business.

So what should Orem’s citizens do? Encourage the City to encourage the mall expansion, and any other new business development of that magnitude they can sniff out. And forget the petition.

To do otherwise is shooting ourselves in the foot.

Allowing the University Mall’s proposed expansion to slip out of our grasp would be an extraordinarily bad move for Orem and its residents. In my opinion.