Hill letter: HP purchase

I have several questions and comments I would like to ask and make as to the state of Idaho purchasing the HP campus in Boise.

1. At the end of HP’s lease, what’s to stop them from pulling out of the valley?

2. Why does HP want to sell? Is it because they own vast acres of asphalt parking lots badly in need of repairs? Have you annualized the future costs to buildings which are coming up on 40 years of age? Are we purchasing future asbestos problems? At the time of construction many roofing, heating and plumbing products contained asbestos. What is the cost of roofing many of the buildings?

3. HP is currently farming out hay acreage around the campus. How will the state manage the alfalfa fields?

4. There are vast acres of parklike settings. What is the annualized cost of upkeep?

5. Hedge funds are always looking for good investments. Let them purchase the property, keeping it on the tax rolls, and lease to the state. If the property is left in private hands and all the repairs completed and updated, the taxing entities raise the value of the property.

This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Hill letter: HP purchase."