Oppose Wal-Mart! Press

The case against Wal-Mart: This isn't an economic boon facing Atascadero
New TImes Opinion
By Tom Comar

03/26/2008—Once upon a time, conventional wisdom had it that the Earth was flat. But the experience of explorers and the development of science proved this belief to be unfounded.

Today, there is no excuse for the conventional wisdom espoused by some like John Crippen ("Wal-Mart isn't a threat," March 20), about the world of Wal-Mart. Unless, as a proponent of the Wal-Mart Supercenter, it is more convenient not to be confused by the facts and remain in the dark ages, in order to make the sales pitch.

It is evident from the body of research available, some listed below, and the experience of communities and businesses across the country, that the "conventional wisdom" that Wal-Mart passes off for the rest of us to believe is purely relentless self-promotion. (See the letter by Tony Ferrara, mayor of Arroyo Grande, on its experiences with Wal-Mart, in the March 22 Tribune.)

Because of its size, power, and impact on the retail--and indeed the entire economy--Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has been the subject of intense scrutiny over the last decade. Under the lens of economists, environmentalists, academia, independent and small business associations, and unions, to name a few, Wal-Mart's business practices, ethics, and global and local economic and community impacts have been explored and made available for those interested.

Evidence and experience reveal: A Supercenter is not just a big-box store! A Supercenter is not a customer magnet for other stores in town! And a Supercenter is not a revenue-generator nor job creator! In fact, there is no evidence that would support Crippen's rosy assertions that a Wal-Mart Supercenter will save Atascadero. The analogy and comparison to Paso Robles reveals either an inability to comprehend or a conscious effort to blur the difference between a Wal-Mart department store and a Supercenter. Paso developed as a result of its $1.8 billion wine and culinary tourism, not as a result of a Wal-Mart store.

The inclusion of a full grocery component under the same roof as a retail discount store has already been banned in the county and about 30 cities in California. These cities, without superstores, have been able to develop successful economic diversity.

Consumer trips to grocery stores are far greater in frequency than those for general big-box or specialty retail, and even membership clubs like Costco. (Traffic estimates derived from the Institute for Transportation Engineers' trip generation manual, seventh edition, indicate a 150,000-square-foot superstore would see almost 9,000 weekday trips vs. 6,000 for a similar-sized Costco). Superstores are able to sell discounted food (non-taxable), knowing that the store will profit from high-margin general merchandising and services purchased by the same customers on a single trip. Wal-Mart also has 1,000 NTBs--not-to-beat items. Weekly, store managers or designees canvas competitor prices on these items and lower their price, even if it means taking a loss. Wal-Mart can only do this because of its size and clout in the marketplace. Then, when competitors are forced out of business, Wal-Mart prices rise. (Big-Box Swindle, The True Costs of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America's Independent Businesses, by Stacy Mitchell, 2006).

Superstores eliminate the "need" to patronize multiple businesses. This shifting of consumer shopping patterns to a single superstore and subsequent destruction of small local and chain competitors that cannot compete in a monopolized market has significant monetary and social costs: vacancy, the loss of sales tax revenues, and the loss of quality jobs. Those most affected will be our friends, family, and neighbors. Community consciousness and civic responsibility must trump "cash-box zoning" promises.

The predatory expansion of Walton's 5 & 10 to the colossal supercenter, according to the Oct. 3, 2007, Wall Street Journal, "accelerated the drive to manufacture products in Asia, drove countless small shops out of business, and sped the decline of Main Street." Wal-Mart, a globalized stateless corporation that can shift production around at will, has contributed enormously to American manufacturing job losses and traded safety for profits. Unsafe imports arrive on our tables, in our toy boxes, and in dog bowls because of companies like Wal-Mart who favor cheap and fast imports over safe ones.

What happens when Wal-Mart comes to town? Many workers who lose their jobs in the community take jobs at Wal-Mart at lower pay and reduced benefits, meaning less money to spend around town at other stores, etc. Cities face declining property values and blight from closed shopping strips, increased infrastructure and police costs, and a greater strain on emergency services. Public health care expenditures rise as the county must make up for Wal-Mart's lack of an affordable health plan. Traffic and pollution may rise, and the essential character of a community that was built over decades can be lost. ("Wal-Mart and Beyond," a joint publication of Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy and Partnership of Working Families, January 2007).

The truth behind the smiley face and slogan, "Save money, live better," is inconvenient and ugly.

The Atascadero Shield Initiative is designed to ban superstores. It also provides minimal community development land-use standards to guide economic growth. We believe this will not only attract more business, as they will know that superstores are banned, but enhance the city efforts to advertise and expand on Atascadero's unique character and diversity of sustainable economic development.

A Wal-Mart Supercenter will mean economic displacement for our local businesses, not economic development. Sign the shield. Support smart growth and save the Central Coast. For more info, go to www.sprawl-busters.com, or www.hometown-advantage.org.

Viewpoint: Insulting the forces against Wal-Mart won’t solve anything
The Tribune
By Tom Comar

March 22, 2008—Like many proponents of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Bob Cuddy (“Opposition to Wal-Mart is a wasted effort,” March 16) too has been hypnotized and mesmerized by the bouncing yellow smiley face. Snap out of it, Bob!

Ignorance, incivility, mean-spiritedness, name-calling and sermonizing do not an argument make. Blaming, finger-pointing, lambasting and demeaning the efforts of concerned citizens involved in a legitimate land use debate is easy and convenient. One doesn’t have to be confused by the facts.

The irony of Cuddy’s rant is that it is Wal-Mart that has divided the city of Atascadero and, more important, played a decisive role in turning the American economy upside down and creating the poverty conditions Cuddy wails about.

Because of its size, power and impact on the entire economy, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has been the subject of intense scrutiny over the last decade. Under the lens of economists, environmentalists, academia, independent and small business associations and unions, to name a few, Wal-Mart’s business practices, ethics, global and local economic and community impacts have been explored and made available for those interested.

After reviewing this information, Oppose Wal-Mart and thousands of Atascadero citizens came to the conclusion that Wal-Mart’s Supercenters create devastating economic and community impacts. This is why San Luis Obispo County and the cities of Paso Robles, Arroyo Grande and Santa Maria ban superstores. The Supercenter is not just a store.

What happens when Wal- Mart comes to town? The vast body of research available and the experience of communities and businesses across the country reveal: 72 to 84 percent of sales tax generated by a Supercenter is merely shifted from the cash registers of downsized or closed competitors in the area, and that for every two jobs Wal- Mart creates three good paying jobs are lost. Many of these workers take jobs at Wal-Mart for lower pay and reduced benefits, meaning less money to spend around town at other stores, etc. Cities face declining property values and blight from closed shopping strips, increased infrastructure and police costs and a greater strain on emergency services. Public health care expenditures rise as the county must make up for Wal- Mart’s lack of an affordable health plan. Traffic and pollution may rise, and the essential character of a community that was built over decades can be lost.

The predatory expansion of Walton’s 5&10 to the colossal Supercenter has, according to the Oct. 3, 2007, Wall Street Journal, “accelerated the drive to manufacture products in Asia, drove countless small shops out of business and sped the decline of Main Street.” Wal-Mart, a globalized stateless corporation that can shift production around at will, has contributed enormously to American manufacturing job losses and traded safety for profits. Unsafe imports arrive on our tables, in our toy boxes and in dog bowls because of companies like Wal-Mart that favor cheap and fast imports over safe ones.

The presence of a Wal-Mart store also hinders a community’s ability to move families out of poverty, according to a study in Social Science Quarterly, June 2006. “After controlling for other factors that influence rates, the study found the U. S. counties that had more Wal-Mart stores in 1987 had a higher poverty rate in 1999 than did counties that started the period with fewer or no Wal-Mart stores ( www.bigboxtoolkit.com ).” The truth behind the smiley face and slogan “Save money, live better,” is inconvenient and ugly. Deriding the efforts of those attempting to bring these facts to the attention of the community is a disservice.

Take the blinders off, Bob!

Tom Comar is spokesman for Oppose Wal-Mart.

More Letters to the Editor On Bob Cuddy’s Wal-Mart Column

Stop selling out
T he news lately has been very disturbing. First, we allow Wal-Mart to siphon off all our dollars to China, and now our universities want to siphon all our brains off to Saudi Arabia. Is everything up for grabs in our country? What will be left for the American people?

At first, I was irritated by Bob Cuddy’s Sunday column about Wal-Mart. But now I’m glad he wrote it. Apparently, he never reads his own newspaper because there have been numerous, intelligent letters printed explaining WHY millions of people worldwide (Yes, worldwide ... Germany threw Wal-Mart out) have protested the intrusion of this corporation.

Heartbreaking as it is, Bob Cuddy represents the mentality of people who will sell this country out. We are in crises here today because Americans lacked the integrity to say, “No, my country is not for sale.”

We are conditioned to believe Wal-Mart is our savior when in fact, Wal-Mart is our downfall. Why stoke the fire that burns us?

Randy Buckler Atascadero

Ripple effect on wages
Bob Cuddy, in his column Sunday, doesn’t seem to realize the correlation between the woman living in the motel room and the advent of Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart’s business model causes all salaries to be bottomed- out to compete. Working at Wal-Mart will not allow this woman to move into an apartment, but it will inevitably cause others living in Atascadero to go on public assistance or become homeless.

As far as helping the local coffers, development by big-box retailers never raises the public funds to pay for the infrastructure needed to accommodate them, unless the political will is there to demand it. Just look at San Luis Obispo where all the accommodation for development over the past six years has caused a sales tax increase!

You also can be sure that those involved fighting Wal- Mart contribute more to other programs to help the less fortunate in our communities than any whining “ditto-heads.”

Terry Mohan
San Luis Obispo

Proceed with caution
I normally enjoy reading Bob Cuddy’s columns, but his criticism of Atascadero’s scrutiny of Wal-Mart is horribly shortsighted.

Atascadero should move slowly with its action. Why? Because Wal-Mart becomes the dominant retail force in communities that don’t proceed with caution.

When the Arroyo Grande community opposed the Wal- Mart it was for good cause. Fortunately, after three years of “nitpicking,” we were able to put ordinances in place limiting the size of retail establishments and prohibiting the amount of floor space devoted to nontaxable retail (groceries). In short, Wal- Mart didn’t get its Superstore. That means our grocery stores, including our small independents, survive.

Cuddy infers that Atascadero is treating Wal-Mart as a “sinister” entity. I disagree! They’re treating them like the retail “predator” they are. That’s a term that spun out of a thorough study done by the Wharton School of Business several years ago. Similar studies more recently support this notion.

Wal-Mart is not given to being a player in a “competitive” market. It wants to “be” the market. It doesn’t want to “compete,” it wants to “destroy.” That is their business philosophy.

Jobs? Oh, please! Don’t get me started on that one.

Tony Ferrara
Arroyo Grande mayor

One-sided perspective
Bob Cuddy’s column in Sunday’s Tribune regarding Wal-Mart was so off the mark that it’s hard to know where to begin.

He dismissively concludes that people in Atascadero should just approve Wal-Mart and be done with it. The reason that this county doesn’t look like every other county in California is because our citizens do care about their communities and how they develop. They do want to preserve neighborhood quality. And they do care about the impact of megastores on existing stores and local people who own them.

Oddly, Cuddy thinks that people can’t be concerned about the poor and the needy and issues such as Wal-Mart at the same time.

Cuddy concludes that Wal- Mart “will bring jobs and tax dollars” even though there is considerable controversy on this point. There are pros and cons to Wal-Mart coming to Atascadero, but you wouldn’t know it from reading Cuddy’s column.

Kent M. Taylor
San Luis Obispo

Slow Growing
Arkansas Democratic Gazette
BY STEVE PAINTER

November 11, 2007—Arkansas, home base to the world's largest retailer, has a Wal-Mart store for every 30,000 residents. No state has more on a per-capita basis. In California and New York, the nation's first and third most-populous states (Texas is second ), it's one store for every 175, 000 and 180, 000 residents, respectively.

The numbers alone suggest that Bentonville-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has plenty of room to grow, despite its already dominant role in retailing. Yet Wal-Mart is hitting the brakes, slowing its U. S. growth voluntarily and, increasingly, involuntarily. In some locales, the company battles for years before gaining approval to build a store or, in rare instances, walks away empty-handed.

In California, for example, battles over proposed Wal-Mart stores are a constant feature of local politics. There are a significant number of people there who look at Wal-Mart as the tool of the Antichrist, the spoilers of the environment. It's a very visceral reaction said Ryan Matthews, a California native and chief executive officer of Black Monk Consulting in Eastpointe, Mich.

Wal-Mart's least-developed states tend to have heavier union representation in the supermarket industry, active environmental groups and, in some cases, local governments that lean toward protecting local business.

Wal-Mart spokesman John Simley said those factors have little to do with the company's lack of penetration in those markets. Rather, he said, its a matter of building distribution centers to support store growth.

The fact is, we just haven't gotten there yet, he said. We haven't exhausted the possibilities in a lot of places Hosting retail analysts in October; Wal-Mart executives said that by 2010, new supercenter construction or expansion projects would number 140 a year, down from 281 last year. David Livingston, a Pewaukee, Wis., consultant who specializes in supermarket site selection, isn't buying the concept that Wal-Mart is pulling back. The company can generate more sales just in its growth than many chains have overall, he said. People say they're going backward, and I don't see that at all, he said. If they're pulling back, that means they're not opening stores, it means they're closing stores

No Welcome Mat
Kansas has been a good market for Wal-Mart. It has seldom encountered serious opposition and its per-capita penetration is high. But Lawrence, Kan., proved to be a different story. In August 2002, Wal-Mart announced its intention to build a second supercenter in the city of about 90, 000. Five years, seven lawsuits and three city election cycles later, Wal-Mart has won tentative approval to build a store half the size it originally proposed and not a spade of dirt has been turned on the project. The last election tipped the balance in Wal-Marts favor. Lawrence, it should be noted, is not a typical Kansas town. It is home to the state's largest university, its politics lean Democratic in a heavily Republican state and it boasts a thriving downtown business district that local leaders are eager to protect. This community doesn't need two Wal-Marts, said Gwen Klingenberg, president of the Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods, who helped lead the ultimately unsuccessful effort to block approval of the new store.

Traffic was the big issue for her neighborhood, just south of the Wal-Mart site that will include other retail development, she said. But she said others opposed it for reasons such as Wal-Mart's pay levels and benefits offered to employees.

Simley called the drawn-out process unusual. You have to be flexible. Ultimately, our goal is to meet the demand in the community, he said. The company still has no specific timeline for the store, he said.

Though the size of the project shrank, it will include a complete grocery section, Simley said. And the smaller size doesn't mean fewer customers, he said. It means you have to operate a little more efficiently, to replenish more quickly, and it means there might be some products you do without, he said.

In Atascadero, Calif., the City Council turned back, for now, Wal-Mart's proposal for a full-size supercenter after a public hearing drew about 500 people, opponents and supporters, and lasted until 2 a. m.

The 4-1 vote Oct. 31 was a procedural move, directing the staff not to proceed with paperwork on the proposal. Tom Comar, a spokesman for Oppose Wal-Mart, the group that formed to fight the store, said people joined the opposition for reasons ranging from Wal-Mart's business model to complaints about jobs moving overseas.

There's a moral and ethical issue with Wal-Mart, he said. His own opposition was based on the potential impact on the central coast city of 27,000. I just felt the development the size of a supercenter was out of character for our town, said Comar; a semi retired nurse practitioner who said he had never been a community activist before. Simley said Wal-Mart has not given up on Atascadero. The fact is, there are still options on how we might be able to serve the community, he said.

On Oct. 19, Wal-Mart pulled out of a proposed project in Garden Grove, Calif., which would have been the company's first supercenter in Orange County. In that case, local officials and businesses reacted with disappointment, saying they were counting on the store to anchor other business growth. Simley said construction costs became an issue, but noted the communitys desire for Wal-Mart to set up shop. it's not like we find opposition always in urban areas. In this case, we had quite a bit of community support for it, but the economics didn't pan out, he said.

The Union Factor
Jim Alger has been battling Wal-Mart for years as a community activist, most recently as regional coordinator of the Tri-County Labor Foundation, covering Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. His latest focus is trying to block a proposed 150, 000-square-foot Wal-Mart supercenter in Ventura. The store is across from a Ralph's supermarket, part of the Kroger Co. supermarket chain.

Many workers at the Ralph's store, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, earn about $14 an hour and some make up to $18 an hour, Alger said. The union's new contract for grocer clerks' pays from $9 to $ 18.40 an hour. Meat cutters earn more. Wal-Mart's average wage for full-time hourly employees in California is $11.04 an hour, according to the companys Web site. The company does not release wage figures beyond the statewide averages, Simley said.

But he said Wal-Mart can't dictate local wages. We compete in a market for labor, and our wages and our benefits have to be competitive in that market in order to attract and retain people, he said. Alger said the union is legally obligated to defend its members jobs and pay, and that Wal-Mart's average hourly wage is too low. you cannot live on that in Ventura, Alger said, citing gasoline prices approaching $4 a gallon and high housing costs. Rent for two-bedroom houses in Ventura, advertised online recently, started at $ 1,500 a month. When Wal-Mart meets opposition, Alger said, they respond as if they're a political campaign. It's all about perception.

All they want is to take all our money, put it in an armored truck and ship it off to Bentonville, Ark., he said. The labor foundation is working on a ballot initiative to limit the size of big-box stores. None of Wal-Mart's U. S. stores have union-represented workers. Patricia Edwards, a fund manager for Wentworth, Hauser and Violich in Seattle who tracks Wal-Mart, said labor unions figure into the company's thin presence in Washington State.

Environmental concerns also play a large role, she said, making it incredibly difficult for big-footprint businesses to get building permits. But, she adds, it's labor. Bottom line, I think that's a lot of it. Marketing professor Camille Schuster of Escondido, Calif., says she often finds it necessary to explain to her students at California State University at San Marcos what a supercenter is. The state has 31 Wal-Mart supercenters. If Wal-Mart can clear the legal hurdles, she said, low-price supercenters likely would do well.

The cost of living here is just really high, she said. But, she added, supermarkets nearly had another strike this year. All of the grocery stores are just in a tough spot, she said. I don't know exactly how Wal-Mart will get around that.

Plugging Away
Matthews, the suburban Detroit consultant, said Wal-Mart should probably avoid some areas. He includes Detroit among them. Meijer Inc. of Grand Rapids, Mich., pioneered the supercenter concept starting in 1962 and is a strong presence in the Detroit area, he said. Wal-Mart's challenge, Matthews said, is the offerings aren't very unique and the prices aren't that great.

To come in and make an impression is much, much more difficult, he said. A smaller format might work for the company in such urban areas, he said. They are a smart company and they learn incredibly rapidly.

In Chicago, Wal-Mart opened its first store more than a year ago. Its stores already are well-established in the suburbs that ring the city. Simley said CVS Caremark Corp. has since built a soon-to-open store in the same Chicago neighborhood, known as Austin, as the Wal-Mart store, and banks are opening branches there. The store itself, he said, is meeting plan.

Wal-Mart became the catalyst for the creation of this retail establishment in the Austin community, he said. However, the company has yet to open a second store in Chicago. Emma Mitts, alderman for the district of Chicago that includes Austin, said she is pleased with the store, which employs 400.

Absolutely, she said. Were looking at revitalizing that area, and can see the difference

Mitts said she would like to see Wal-Mart's pay levels increase, but added, There are steps that you've got to take going up.

As Wal-Mart continues to push into areas that don't come naturally to the company, no single strategy will necessarily be effective, said Mark Hunter, who runs an Omaha, Neb.-based retail consulting firm, TheSalesHunter. com.

Just keep plugging away, and Wal-Mart's good at that, he said. Their best approach is we're going to keep going until we win. They know they can't give any appearance that they will back off.

Stick to selling cheap underwear, Wal-Mart

September 14, 2007—Those who attended, or watched on TV, the Aug. 28 Atascadero City Council Meeting witnessed a dismal display of self-promotion. Representatives from Wal-Mart, its engineering firm and its developer hyped their Supercenter project at the expense of the citizens of Atascadero. They sought to sway public opinion with a statistically insignificant survey, apply pressure on decision makers and derail the citizens' efforts to develop an integrated economic vision for the city. Yet, the city council voted unanimously to go forward with hiring a consultant to look at the big picture of the city's economic development at the Annex and citywide.

Wal-Mart representatives and their supporters argued that the city council and citizens did not need a consultant. Because, if the City Council would only accept Wal-Mart's soon to be submitted Supercenter proposal for processing, the Wal-Mart environmental impact review would suffice.

Wal-Mart argued that their EIR would be an alternative to a city consultant's report. Wrong! Research on other community struggles against these mega-stores has shown that once a Wal-Mart Supercenter project is accepted by the city council to proceed with the EIR, it is just a matter of time before Wal-Mart breaks ground. There is no limit on mitigation tactics to circumvent unfavorable findings in Wal-Mart Supercenter EIRs. Has an EIR ever stopped a project?

In fact, there is no mitigation possible for all the disastrous economic and environmental consequences that such a giant footprint would bring to Atascadero. For example, how do you mitigate for closed local businesses, good-paying job losses, over-the-limit nitrous oxide vehicle emissions, and loss of small town character? Wal-Mart bought the land knowing the requirements of the general plan and zoning. It has tried to sway public opinion by multiple full-page ads in the Atascadero News. It has paid for surveys to get the results it wanted.

Wal-Mart is playing politics, spawning division and a recall effort.

The time has come for Wal-Mart to back off, play by the rules and stick to selling cheap underwear.

Tom Comar, OWM Spokesperson
www.opposewalmart.com
info@opposewalmart.com

Big Box Grocery Ordinance! The Right Thing for Atascadero!

January 23, 2007—Oppose Wal-Mart supports the passage of a Big Box Grocery Ordinance that would effectively block the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter at the Annex.

The ordinance will bring Atascadero zoning up to speed with the rest of San Luis Obispo County and largest cities on the central coast. The county, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande and Santa Maria have analyzed the data from multiple studies and concluded that inclusion of discount retail and full-service grocery store under one roof present a unique threat to many smaller retailers and grocery stores.

We are for the development of an upscale mixed-use and diverse pedestrian friendly commercial/residential development such as a Lifestyle Center at the Annex.

For these reasons, we support:

1. Prohibition of discount superstores i.e. stores with over 90,000 square feet of sales floor space where more than 8% of the total gross floor area is devoted to the sale of nontaxable goods, such as groceries.

2. Public visioning and consensus building process that considers compatible commercial development that enhances the adjacent neighborhood and natural environment.

Wal-Mart thrives on an air of inevitability: that nothing can stop the corporate juggernaut when it makes a decision. Nothing could be further from the truth. This ordinance protects the Atascadero General Plan principles for smart growth.

Tom Comar, OWM Spokesperson
www.opposewalmart.com
info@opposewalmart.com

Atascadero Voted for Change
Ray Johnson wrote that his post-election Viewpoint (Jan. 2) was a "careful analysis" of the Atascadero vote, but it appears to be a peek through the wrong end of the telescope. The ex-Mayor's fixation on a prior post-election Oppose Wal-Mart Viewpoint yielded a myopic squint at the message sent by the City's voters. The demand for a more accessible and accountable government and a restoration of integrity at City Hall was loud and clear during the campaign and evident in the final official results. Additionally, the numbers and percentages Mr. Johnson attributes to total votes cast and winners' shares are wrong.

The two new members of the City Council (Beraud & Brennler) distinguished themselves from other candidates by campaigning on an explicit and emphatic commitment to a more honest and responsive government. The current Mayor (Luna) issued a letter in August regarding "The need for open and honest government" stating "We must restore integrity at City Hall" and "This is your city and your government", and endorsing both new members.

This became an issue when it was demonstrated that citizen inquiries about public servants' activities regarding a major potential development were confronted with repeated obstruction, delay, denial & falsehoods. This pattern became evident at multiple levels of City government. Evidence indicates that this infection persists. Since the election, several directly related initiatives have been introduced during City Council meetings, including an ethics code for all at City Hall, an ordinance enhancing citizen access to information and participation in decisions, televising Council meetings, and community-based planning. Those interested in the maturation and improvement of municipal operations would be wise to pay attention to up-coming meetings.

An accurate analysis of the SLO County Clerk's final election results shows that those favoring better government achieved a decisive victory on November 7th. Beraud and Brennler together received 33.3% of the votes cast in their races while the incumbent received 22.8%. Beraud and Brennler together received 59.4% of the votes cast for the election winners while the incumbent received 40.6%. That 60% of voters backed candidates calling for a government serving the people rather than shutting them out sent a huge message about Atascaderans' demand for change.

Mr. Johnson's assertions that 10,361 votes were cast, that O'Malley received "over 53 percent", Beraud received a "little over 44 percent," and Brennler received "almost 34 percent" are all wrong and directly contradicted by the County Clerk's final election results. The votes cast for the three Council seats totaled 24,222. O'Malley and Beraud received 35.9% and 29.8%, respectively, of the 15,363 votes cast for the two four-year seats, while Brennler received 39.4% of the 8,859 votes for the two-year seat.

Mr. Johnson does the voters of Atascadero a disservice by twisting the facts to present a shrunken view of the election and the citizens' desires. Atascaderans voted to reclaim City Hall in the public's interest and results are beginning to show. The Tribune would do its readers a service by reporting on the initiatives emerging from the citizens' demand for a transparent and honorable city government.

David Broadwater
Atascadero
Tribune January 30, 2007

Letter to the Editor: Atascadero has spoken: Atascadero-Yes, Wal-Mart-No!
November 13, 2006—The most significant election in Atascadero's recent history has ended with the election of Ellen Beraud and Mike Brennler. Land use in the city has been taken back by an energized electorate. The voter's vision of Atascadero's future without a Wal-Mart Supercenter has been embodied in the newly elected, who, with sitting-member George Luna, will protect "Atascadero Smart Growth Principles" as mandated by the General Plan of 2002. Have no doubt, they will provide for fair, smart, coordinated, planned and sustainable commercial development that meets the needs of all the citizens and City.

How did this historic change come about? It all started with three women e-mailing about the possibility of a Supercenter at the Annex. Out of this concern sprang Oppose Wal-Mart. Along with community activists, strong support of the Atascadero Homeowners Association, and hundreds and now thousands of citizens, we have been able to educate, organize and mobilize a significant sector of the community. Fair, balanced, and tenacious investigating by local media and community discussions with stakeholders on local radio talk shows spotlighted and clarified the issues.

In the process, some members of the City Council, candidates, Planning Commission, and City Staff found themselves and their behind the scene activities in the proverbial "fish bowl" of public scrutiny. The election results reflected dissatisfaction with this turbulence.

The results also reflect the reality that thousands of voters successfully proved that accountability; ethics, transparency, and civic responsibility can be larger than the dimensions of a Wal-Mart shopping cart.

Wal-Mart is not constrained by money, lies or sense of decency. Slick expensive mailings, full-page ads in newspapers, donations to at least one candidate through its developers and setting up of a phony front group to influence voters did not succeed. Wal-mart likes corporate democracy, in which the person with the most money wins. Atascadero was too smart to fall for these tactics and campaigning that touted Wal-Mart's commitment to the region and community. Wal-Mart is committed to profits, not the community. Wal-Mart's recent policy changes are the most anti-family, anti-employee changes in this company's history. (for more info, go to opposewalmart.com and sprawl-busters.com).

Where do we go from here? This election is only the beginning. Unfortunately, current Wal-Mart management is ignoring their founder, Sam Walton's promise," If some community, for whatever reason, doesn't want us in there, we aren't interested in going in and creating a fuss." We will continue to play a role supporting the new Council majority as they attempt to preserve the economic viability promise of our downtown businesses and expand compatible commercial growth. We urge our neighbors who have supported Wal-Mart to this point to join us with the new City Council to ensure economic development at a scale that would benefit our community.

We urge local business owners and their organizations, who may hesitate to take a public stand against Wal-Mart, to heed Ronald Reagan's advice, "If some among you fear taking a stand because you are afraid of reprisals from customers, clients, or even government, recognize that you are just feeding the crocodile hoping he'll eat you last."

Tom Comar, OWM Spokesperson, Lee Perkins, OWM Coordinator, David Curtiss, Diane Harrison And Mark Phillips, OWM Strategy Committee
www.opposewalmart.com
info@opposewalmart.com

A Boon to Shoppers? Atascadero Can't Afford a Wal-Mart!
August 31, 2006—We oppose the entry of a Wal-Mart Super Center in Atascadero or any other city or county property in SLO County. The best independent research and analysis reveal these mega stores bring with them adverse impacts like traffic, crime and environmental degradation and more importantly, they rob the community of money, good-paying jobs and the community's traditional character.

A super center generates 12,000 car trips each day. Wal-Mart's enormous containerized trucks make 5-6 deliveries day and night. Increased traffic, noise, light and air pollution will be beyond anything we have ever seen. The peace and tranquility of the Del Rio/El Camino neighborhoods, especially, will be eliminated. The small-town atmosphere, the country attitude and rural environment that have historically fueled our desired way of life as envisioned by E. G. Lewis will be changed and we will never get it back.

Is the City of Atascadero's financial situation so bad that we need to sell our small town atmosphere to the first and worst bidder? A "wallet biopsy" of Atascadero reveals stable fiscal shape. The mantra that the Colony of Atascadero will go fiscal heels up without the sales tax revenue infusion of a super center is just plain fiction. Who benefits most from the dropping of a super center into the Del Rio neighborhood but, the developer, Rottman, who has put all their marbles in the Wal-Mart bag and, of course, Wal Mart.

Atascadero Councilman, George Luna, a Finance Committee member, exposed an attempt to underestimate the amount of property tax generated in the city. City reserves are adequate. Property taxes from new development are increasing. There is no fiscal crisis! The city will not "crumble" if Wal-Mat pulls out of the proposed commercial development.

In fact, if Wal-Mart prevails and a super center is built, the chance of developing retail orientated and thriving Atascadero downtown could "crumble." Dozens of locally owned businesses from Paso Robles to Santa Margarita that recycle their profits back into the community will disappear, including grocery stores, tire stores, pharmacies, appliance stores, video rental and more. There will be fewer jobs locally and the new jobs at Wal-Mart will be low paying and without benefits the first year.

Wal-Mart costs a city in public services including additional expenses in the provision of sewage, road maintenance, and water and electricity. These costs outweigh any net gains in sales taxes revenue. Seventy percent of sales tax revenue is merely "shifted" income from other local stores or stores that have been forced out by Wal-Mart.

To set the record straight, the "several meetings" deemed "rowdy" by The Tribune is a biased and a jaundiced view of what real participatory democracy is about. On May 30, at the Atascadero Public Workshop over 500 oppose Wal-Mart supporters—young/old, lifelong residents/recently moved here, Democrats/Independents/Republicans and folks from all occupations spoke eloquently opposing Wal-Mart and in favor of alternative development that would enhance their community. Yes, the atmosphere was charged. Citizens were passionate against Wal-Mart and outraged at the lack of transparency of some in our city government to bring Wal-Mart to town under the radar. This attempt undermines the publicly approved General Plan of 2002. Current zoning does not permit a Wal-Mart Super Center.

Oppose Wal-Mart is for responsible development at the Annex. This project has the potential to enhance the unique and historic small town character of our community. A Wal-Mart Super Center will change Atascadero forever. The City of Atascadero can't afford a Wal-Mart.

Tom Comar
Spokesperson for Oppose Wal-Mart
www.opposewalmart.com
info@opposewalmart.com

Read Tom's editorial on the Tribune web site.

Wal-Mart faces Minn. labor law trial
Boston Globe
July 2, 2008—Wal-Mart Stores Inc. broke Minnesota labor laws, a state judge ruled, handing the world's largest retailer its third straight defeat in a wage-class action trial and the possibility a jury may order it to pay $2 billion.

Woman assaulted, carjacked outside Victorville Wal-Mart
Daily Press
May 6, 2008—A woman was attacked and carjacked outside of Wal-Mart by an armed man Monday evening, said officials.

Report Cites Holiday Abuse in Chinese Factory
ABC News
December 12, 2007—The National Labor Committee, which tracks working conditions in developing countries worldwide, released a report Wednesday titled "A Wal-Mart Christmas Brought to You from a Sweatshop in China."

Would You Work for Wal-Mart?
Forbes
November 21, 2007—"Inside the byzantine world of health insurance there is a cottage industry of companies that specialize in recouping money from various parties, whether it's hospitals going after patients, doctors fighting insurance companies, or insurance companies making claims against car insurance companies."

Wal-mart's lawsuit: legal, but wrong
Los Angeles Times
November 21, 2007—"Deborah Shank's story would have been sad enough, considering the devastating injuries she suffered in a traffic accident seven years ago. Nevertheless, Wal-Mart found a way to add a brutal coda."

Chinese workers lose their lives producing goods for America
Salt Lake Tribune
November, 2007—"The patients arrive every day in Chinese hospitals with disabling and fatal diseases, acquired while making products for America."

Atascadero, Ca. Wal-Mart Suffers Early Halloween Trick
WalMart Watch
October 30, 2007—"It was an early trick or treat for Wal-Mart last night in Atascadero, California, but the giant retailer left without the candy. The City Council in Atascadero turned Wal-Mart's coach into a pumpkin."

My Visit to Planet Fox ("Why Do They Love Wal-Mart So Much?")
Huffington Post
October 23, 2007—"Since our musical "Walmartopia" opened Off Broadway on Labor Day, my husband Andrew and I have done a lot of interviews. But none has been so entertaining and adrenaline-producing as our encounter with Fox on Wednesday, Oct. 17 when "Walmartopia" appeared as part of "Happy Hour," a daily show on Fox's new business network."

Rolling Back Property Tax Payments
Corporate Research Project
October, 2007—" How Wal-Mart short-changes schools and other public services by challenging its property assessments"

Wal-Mart contests local property taxes
Times Union
October 11, 2007—"If Wal-Mart wins its lawsuit to lower the assessment of its Halfmoon store it would get a total $362,000 rebate on its tax bills for this year and last year. In Glenville, the company is looking for a similar break, negotiating to get its $14 million property assessment sliced to $6 million on its outlet on Dutch Meadows Lane."

Wal-Mart Era Wanes Amid Retail Shifts
The Wall Street Journal
October 3, 2007—"The Wal-Mart Era, the retailer's time of overwhelming business and social influence in America, is drawing to a close. "

Groups say dangerous toys still on store shelves
Money
September 27, 2007—"Consumer interest groups say new tests on 50 toys sold last month at Wal-Mart, Target show 11 contained lead."

Wal-Mart debate moves to October
Clovis Independent
September 21, 2007—"A Clovis City Council meeting on a proposed Wal-Mart super store and shopping center lasted until 1:30 a.m. Sept. 18 after dozens of people voiced their concerns."

A developing power
LA Times
August 19, 2007—"LA.'s own "soft revolution" is, for the present, colored bright orange -- the color of Home Depot's nearly ubiquitous logo. By a 12-1 majority, the City Council last week took the highly unusual step of denying the desire of the home-improvement retailer to open a 93,000-square-foot store on Foothill Boulevard in Sunland-Tujunga."

Keep Your Eyes on the Size - The Impossibility Of A Green Wal-Mart
Grist
March 28, 2007—"Wal-Mart's initiatives have just enough meat to have distracted much of the environmental movement, along with most journalists and many ordinary people, from the fundamental fact that, as a system of distributing goods to people, big-box retailing is as intrinsically unsustainable as clear-cut logging is as a method of harvesting trees."

Wal-Mart's Fashion Maven Departs As Trendy Merchandise Languishes
Washington Post
July 27, 2007—"The Wal-Mart executive who tried to dress up the no-frills discount retailer in skinny jeans and sateen bedsheets has resigned, the company said yesterday, after shoppers failed to respond to the trendy new merchandise."

Unpaid Teens Bag Groceries for Wal-Mart
Newsweek
July 31, 2007—"Thousands of adolescents work as unpaid baggers in Wal-Mart's Mexican stores. The retail giant isn't breaking any laws—but that doesn't mean the government is happy with the practice."

Garcia Food closes doors
El Centro Chamber of Commerce
June 26, 2007—"In the past few years local grocers in the city have felt the pinch as retail giant Wal-Mart SuperCenter opened on the north side of the city. Joe Moreno, whose family owned Apple Market Super Shopping, said small grocers like those found in Calexico and other parts of the Valley build a relationship with their customers.

But even chain strongholds like Vons closed its doors in Calexico while Albertsons went dark last month in El Centro, just a few blocks away from a Wal-Mart SuperCenter. Moreno said after closing in 2005 when most of the store's employees got hired by Wal-Mart, he is still disheartened to see other local grocers struggle to keep up. 'It's unfortunate that another family store that has also been very involved in the community is closing,' Moreno said.

And while Renison is hesitant to point the finger at Wal-Mart, a study conducted by Illinois-based DSR Marketing Systems in 2004 concluded for every Wal-Mart SuperCenter that opens, two supermarkets will shutter their doors."

Maine Passes Law Requiring Economic Impact Studies of Big-Box Projects
The Hometown Advantage
June 18, 2007—The Maine legislature has given its approval to a bill that requires cities and towns to evaluate the economic effects of large-scale retail development and to approve only those projects that will not have an adverse impact on jobs, local businesses, and municipal finances. The legislation is the first of its kind in the nation.

Cal. Supreme Court Bolsters Local Authority to Control Retail
The Hometown Advantage
June 8, 2007—In a unanimous decision, the California Supreme Court fortified efforts by cities to limit big-box stores, favor small-scale retailers, and protect the vitality of downtowns. The ruling strongly affirms the authority of cities to enact zoning rules that regulate economic competition to achieve valid public purposes.

San Francisco's Economy Reaps Big Benefits from Independent Merchants, Study Finds
The Hometown Advantage
May. 30, 2007—While many parts of the country are overrun with chain stores, San Francisco remains a stronghold for locally owned businesses, according to a new study, which also found that those local stores generate sizable benefits for the city's economy.

Wal-Mart and Poverty
St. Louis Business Journal
May, 2007—One year ago this month, the Social Science Quarterly releases a study examining Wal-Mart and poverty rates. "The study found that nationwide an estimated 20,000 families have fallen below the official poverty line as a result of the chain's expansion... During the last decade, dependence on the food stamp program nationwide increased by 8 percent, while in counties with Wal-Mart stores the increase was almost twice as large at 15.3 percent."

Wal-Mart Faces Blast From Human Rights Group
CNN/Money
April 30, 2007—"Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has used a myriad of tactics, including some that are illegal, to hinder the ability of its workers to form labor unions, a human rights group said in a report to be released Tuesday."

Concord Council To Cast Final Wal-Mart Vote
ABC
April 24, 2007—"The Concord City Council is expected to certify its vote tonight to reject the final Environmental Impact Report for the Jones Ranch project, a proposed Wal-Mart Inc.-anchored shopping center that would be located on Arnold Industrial Way in north Concord."

Wal-Mart Loses Bid to Halt Union Effort in Canada
Bloomberg.com
April 19, 2007—"The world's largest retailer, lost a bid to halt a union at a Canadian store after the country's highest court declined to hear an appeal that would have delayed the process."

The 'Wal-Mart Effect' Strikes Again
MSN/Money
April 23, 2007—"By slashing prices on flat-panel TVs, the retail giant has clobbered another sector -- this time, consumer-electronics stores."

Former Wal-Mart Worker Blows Whistle on Company Surveillance Operation, Spying of Critics
CNN/Money
April 6, 2007—"A former worker at Wal-Mart is claiming the retail giant is running a sophisticated surveillance operation that targets employees, journalists, stockholders and critics."

Ex-Wal-Mart Worker Admits To Spy Campaign
CNN/Money
April 4, 2007—"A Wal-Mart employee, who was fired last month for intercepting a reporter's calls, says he was part of a sophisticated surveillance operation."

Wal-Mart Rated By Consumer Reports
Wal-Mart is not only considered a bad value overall for shopping when it comes to both groceries and electronics, they hold down the bottom of the list!

Click the images below to read the ratings:

State of the City Address
By Mayor George Luna
January 9, 2007—Once again, I am honored to provide our community with a State of the City message. It's been three years since I last made this address after becoming Mayor in 2003.

Our community had just been shaken by the San Simeon Earthquake that damaged a number of buildings and homes. Since that time, we have made tremendous progress in rebuilding from the earthquake damage. This was made possible through the combined efforts of our city staff, the business community, and countless individual citizens. Thanks to everyone for a job well done.

Our police and fire facilities have been repaired, roads and parks have been made safe, a temporary City Hall has been established and most of the residential damage has been corrected.

We are working closely with State and Federal Officials to begin the restoration of the City Administration / Veteran's Memorial building. We are looking forward to the day when we can re-open City Hall in that historic location. This is a high priority of the council.

The City experienced an unprecedented capital improvement program during this time of rebuilding. For example, we committed more resources to road improvements than ever before. We made good progress in the Downtown area, including the sunken garden improvements, creek bank restoration, and streetscape and façade improvement programs. The public works yard was moved out of the downtown area. And we finally cleaned up the junk car lot next to the creek. Some of these things were deemed impossible.

After many years of hard work by a lot of people, I am very proud to say that the new $8 million dollar Youth/Community Center is well underway. It's going to be an outstanding facility and is scheduled to open by the end of the fiscal year. Thanks to everyone who helped make this dream come true for the families and the youth of Atascadero. The people deserve a first class youth and community center, and they are going to get one.

During this period of capital improvements, the City Council continued to concentrate on fiscal sustainability. I can tell you with full confidence that we have built a solid financial structure. Several years ago, we set out to manage our debt, build appropriate reserves, and provide quality services to our community. I am pleased to say that we've accomplished those goals and we did it without raising the sales tax. Today, we have a healthy reserve balance that will allow us to keep investing in our city's future and be prepared for unforeseen events. In short, the state of our city is strong. But there is much to accomplish and we have many new challenges to face as we move forward in 2007.

Last November, our community was jolted once again. Not by an earthquake, but this time by the people of Atascadero themselves who sent a message that some changes were needed. The voters made it clear they want more open and transparent government, more citizen involvement, and a renewed focus on protecting the quality of life that makes Atascadero a great place to live. Working together, we can and we will meet these challenges.

First and foremost, we must make sure that the people of Atascadero have complete trust in their government. Some steps have already been taken to re-build that trust. In 2007, the Council will call for additional safeguards including a sunshine ordinance to help city staff, as well as members of the city council and planning commission, achieve complete transparency with the public as we work toward a better future.

The council will also call for ways to encourage greater citizen involvement such as improving public access to meetings and records, televising city council meetings, and making more information available on the city's website.

In short, we want Atascadero to become a leader in connecting with its citizens. We want people to know what's going on in their neighborhood and across the community well before it happens. This will involve more than a new set of guidelines or sunshine law - we want to create a culture of open government. Nothing less is acceptable.

In terms of quality of life, it's important to remember that's it's not just housing prices, shopping opportunities, or economic potential that brought most of us to Atascadero and keep us here. It's the friendly people, the small town atmosphere, the creeks, the urban forest, open space, beautiful neighborhoods and wildlife habitat that make this a wonderful place to live. Growth is needed, but it must be done carefully and enhance our quality of life, not come at the expense of it.

Each of us on the council wants good commercial retail projects that add to the community and lend to a stable financial future for Atascadero, but they must not detract from our city's character. So in 2007, the Council will call for an ordinance that regulates the size of commercial/retail stores in Atascadero to make sure they fit the scale of our town and have the full support of our citizens. We will also initiate open, public discussions and meetings to help determine the future of the Del Rio property that benefits everyone involved.

To protect our wildlife and fragile creek environment, we will call for re-establishing 35-foot creek setbacks. This will also help protect those who may build near our creeks. And we will continue to expand our program for acquiring open space and parks, such as the City's purchase of Paloma Park last year that preserves it for generations of Atascaderans to come.

Another key element of our quality of life is public safety. We need to keep police, fire and emergency services a top priority in 2007. As our city grows, we must expand these vital services, and make sure our police officers, fire fighters and paramedics have the resources they need to provide excellent service for everyone in the community.

Roads are another element of public safety and the passage of State infrastructure bonds coupled with local funds will allow us to continue improving our roads in 2007. We also hope to include more bike lanes and pedestrian paths this year. And look for ways to fund the "routes to school" program on a city wide basis.

A vibrant, healthy downtown continues to be a goal for Atascadero. It's a major part of our city's heritage and we will make the downtown area a key priority in 2007. The Lewis Avenue Bridge is scheduled for completion by the end of the year. The Colony Square project is underway. And we are working to place attractive welcome signs and directional signs in key locations to promote the downtown and other areas of our community.

A lot will be happening this year, and we hope the people of Atascadero will also get more involved in supporting the downtown. If you haven't already done so, take time to visit the Carlton hotel and its excellent restaurants, stroll through the new sunken gardens, and pay a visit to the many shops, stores and restaurants that are making the downtown begin to work. They can't do it without you.

I am excited about what's happening in Atascadero. This is a time of new beginnings, new opportunities and new challenges. The city council and city staff are ready to go to work. We want the people of Atascadero to feel more welcome and get more involved. We need your ideas, your energy and your support.

We'll be talking about our goals and plans over the next several months and I invite you to participate. Please attend our public meetings, talk to City Council Members, and attend the strategic planning session, which will take place on February 15th and 16th here in City Hall.

If we all work together, the future of our great city is truly unlimited.

Wal-Mart's White House Sweetheart
By Jim Hightower
January 10, 2007—Those who say that George W is not a "compassionate conservative," as he pledged to be when he first ran for president, obviously missed a remarkable, truly touching moment of Bush compassion in an action taken by his labor department last year. In a spirit of kindness and forgiveness that surely must stem from lessons he learned in Sunday school years ago, Bush & Company stepped in to prevent harsh treatment of someone who had made a mistake, compassionately offering leniency instead.

The someone was Wal-Mart. It's mistake was that it was caught in 85 violations of America's child labor laws. This was hardly Wal-Mart's first case of child labor abuse, and a less-compassionate president might have said: Throw the book at the creeps! But, no, Bush's political operatives in the labor department reached a kinder, gentler settlement. Wal-Mart, with $312 billion in yearly revenue, did have to pay a fine of $135,000 – but it was allowed to claim it had done nothing wrong.

Then, showing a passion for compassion, the Bushites agreed that Wal-Mart would be given 15-days notice before any further inspections of its stores! And, if any child labor abuses are found after the notice is given, Wal-Mart can avoid any punishment if it stops the abuses within 10 days.

In fairness, Bush has to share credit for such a moving display of regulatory restraint. While George had the sensitivity to go along with it, the settlement itself was substantially written by Wal-Mart's helpful lawyers. In fact, the labor department's own legal division was left out of the settlement process. And, in a neat touch of teamwork, even the press release about the deal was jointly written by Wal-Mart and Bush's political appointees.

This is Jim Hightower saying... Did I mention that Wal-Mart has given more than $4 million in campaign funds to Bush and the Republicans in the past seven years? No wonder he's their sweetheart.

What's Behind Wal-Mart's Smile
The Tribune Perspective (from the St. Lewis Post-Dispatch) Saturday, December 9, 2006

Under a new Wal-Mart policy, a worker who gives 20 years of loyal service to the company will be given free polo shirt. That's Gratitude for you. The New York Times reports that the policy is part of Wal-Mart's effort to stem discontent in the workforce. In addition, Wal-Mart managers will be required to meet with 10 rank and file employees every week to listen to their concerns. To sprinkle a little holiday cheer on top, workers will get an extra 10 percent off a single item purchased at Wal-Mart in addition to the 10percent discount they normally get.

A T-shirt and an extra 10 percent are fine. But, gee, maybe workers also might appreciate decent health care benefits or better wages and working conditions. As of last year, Wal-Mart provided health care coverage to only 42 percent of it workers, and its benefits were far skimpier than average. Employees who make it to the Big 20 and have Wal-Mart health coverage also will get a "holiday" from a part of their health premiums along with their polo shirts.

An internal company memo leaked last year revealed that about 5 percent of Wal-Mart workers receive Medicaid, the government health program for the poor. The memo also said nearly half of all employees' children are either uninsured or rely on state-subsidized programs for health care. In other words, Wal-Mart is paying its people so little that they qualify for government subsidies for the poor, even as it pushes some of its health care costs onto the taxpayers.

Long-timers at Wal-Mart also will encounter the company's new wage caps, imposed this summer, freezing the pay of veteran store workers who don't get promotions. And there's the new crackdown on employees absences.

With policies like this, Wal-Mart won't be giving away many polo shirts. Wal-Mart used to be the juggernaut of retailing, rolling over its competition with a strategy of high-tech efficiency, cutthroat cost controls and low prices. But the juggernaut has stalled recently with sales flattening at its 6,000 stores. Part of that results from a stumble in fashion marketing, part from disruption from store renovations and part because the competition is getting smarter.

But other factors may be at work as well. Wal-Mart's labor policies have brought it a raft of bad publicity and some costly court judgments. Juries in Pennsylvania and California rece3bntly returned verdicts of about $250 million against the company for allegedly cheating employees out of pay for time worked.

Wal-Mart can't hide the behavior behind a smiley face. Sooner or later, the public was bound to notice.

Council sends big box ordinance to the ballot
Atascadero News
June 27, 2008—"The requests of a vast majority of speakers at Tuesday�s Atascadero City Council meeting did not go unheard as the council voted 4-1 to place a big box initiative on the November ballot."

Wal-Mart blocker qualifies for ballot
The Tribune
June 14, 2008—"A measure to prevent a Superstore from being built at Del Rio Road will be discussed by the City Council first."

Viewpoint: Atascadero has much to look forward to
The Tribune
June 14, 2008—" Improving Atascadero’s economic future is the City Council’s top priority. We recognize the difficult economic times facing us all, and while there will be challenges, we are prepared."

Atascadero to gauge consumer spending
The Tribune
June 14, 2008—"Atascadero officials are urging all households to complete a survey about their shopping habits."

Needing integrity
The Tribune
November 23, 2007—"The only Atascadero city council member who voted for the Wal-Mart/Rottman General Plan amendments on Oct. 29 was also the only one who received campaign contributions from the Rottman Group and EDA Design Professionals—Tom O'Malley."

Oppose Wal-Mart responds to community
Atascadero News
November 14, 2007—"OWM supporters have sustained a valiant two-year effort to keep our town Wal-Mart-free. At the Oct. 23 city council meeting new and old OWM supporters spoke about protecting the general plan for present and future generations."

Wal-Mart defeated by Atascadero City Council
The Tribune
October 30, 2007—"The council debated for 90 minutes before voting 4-1 to order staffers to shelve the companies' applications for a 195,000-square-foot Supercenter and adjacent shopping center at Del Rio Road and El Camino Real. Councilman Tom O'Malley dissented."

Wal-Mart back with new plan
The Tribune
September 19, 2007—"Wal-Mart and developer The Rottman Group have taken the first official steps toward building a more than $100 million retail hub on Atascadero's north side."

Buy local for the benefits, not the politics
The Tribune
September 14, 2007—"Atascadero merchants seem to be caught in the middle of a 'buy local' campaign that, unfortunately, has devolved into a wrangle over Wal- Mart."

Independent Atascadero Citizen Group Launches Buy Local Program For Atascadero
Vision Atascadero
"Vision Atascadero, a citizen-lead effort, has launched the first ever Buy Local program to help stimulate Atascadero's local economy through community-focused purchasing."

Out in the open
New Times
"At least up in Atascadero, they have the dignity and wherewithal to build themselves some cover. That had to be the intent of the barely-a-poll that was paid for, at least in part, with Wal-Mart money, which recently passed for big news with many of the local media outlets."

Atascadero to pursue consultant on growth
The Tribune
August 30, 2007—"Atascadero leaders may turn to a private consultant to tell them what kind of businesses residents envision when they picture their city's future."

We Are For Smart Growth
Atascadero News
August 15, 2007—"Please don't let the usual success of Wal-Mart forcing its way into communities stop you from opposing this Goliath of urban sprawl."

Biz Buzz: Wal-Mart eyes bigger Paso store
The Tribune
August 1, 2007—Wal-Mart may expand its Paso Robles store into a supercenter, a company official said.
Please respond to TT poll next to the article.

Wal-Mart Buys 52-Acre Orcutt Property
Santa Maria Times
June 12, 2007—"Less than a year after the Santa Maria City Council said it would not make land-use changes to allow Wal-Mart to build a controversial "super center" in town, the big-box retailer purchased property in Orcutt, just outside the city limits."

Citizens Declare Intent To Recall 2 Council Members
Atascadero News
May 11, 2007—"Two Atascadero citizens announced their intent to circulate a recall petition for Councilwoman Ellen Beraud and Mayor Pro Tem Mike Brennler during Tuesday's council meeting."

Neighbors have a beef with Trader Joe's
The Tribune
May 9, 2007—While we support Trader Joes as a sensible size store for our communities, even a small store disrupts its neighborhood. Imagine what a Supercenter will do.

Easy Choice For Oppose Wal-Mart Supporters
Atascadero News
March 30, 2007—Oppose Wal-Mart supporters have been called, vicious, mudslingers, tree-lovers, and now, "earth-lovers" and "liberal socialists."

Supercenters Mirror Bad Economic Development
Atascadero News
March 14, 2007—"Oppose Wal-Mart is for "good" economic development of the Annex. Good development consists of a sustainable, diverse, environmental and pedestrian-friendly center that supports a vibrant downtown."

Wal-Mart Withdraws Application; Supercenter Still In The Works
Atascadero News
February 28, 2007—"A little more than two weeks before Wal-Mart's application for a general plan amendment, zone change and conditional use permit was scheduled to go before the city council, the application for a 207,000-square-foot supercenter was withdrawn Tuesday."

Wal-Mart Not Giving Up On Atascadero
The Tribune
February 27, 2007—"Wal-Mart will withdraw its application today for a 207,000-square-foot supercenter on Atascadero's north side, but the retailer remains committed to opening such a store there, a corporate spokesman said."

Antioch Council Rejects Wal-Mart Expansion
Contra Costa Times
February 15, 2007—"Antioch's City Council on Tuesday night rejected Wal-Mart's plan to expand its Lone Tree Way store into a supercenter."

Stay Home If You Don't Have Any Manners
Atascadero News
February 16, 2007—"Kudos to Heather Young for her commentary about the dispiriting bad behavior at the Jan. 23 city council meeting in which a big-box store ordinance was considered."

Final Council Candidate Contribution Statements Available
Atascadero News
February 7, 2007—"The final income and expenditure campaign statement (Oct. 21,2006 to Jan. 31) for Atascadero City Council candidates always reveal some interesting information and are often ignored by the press because the election is history."

Mayor Luna Supports The General Plan
Atascadero News
February 2, 2007—"My reconsideration of the big box ordinance has been assumed by some to be support for the recent Wal-Mart proposal. It is not."

Let's Be Individual, Big Box Store Free
Atascadero News
January 31, 2007—"How disheartening it is to be blackmailed by a huge corporation owned by one of the richest families in the world, a company that has caused many manufacturing firms to go out of business."

Two Big Hurdles For Wal-Mart
The Tribune
February 6, 2007—"Mayor George Luna's decision to move away from consideration of a big-box ordinance in Atascadero does not change his opposition, or mine, to a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Atascadero."

Stick to the Plan, Atascadero
The Tribune
February 5, 2007—"The idea that the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter is 'just another store' falsely portrays and ignores the devastating impacts of this colossal vehicle of corporate expansion and profits."

Wal-Mart Isn't For Us
The Tribune
January 10, 2007—"In November, the electorate in Atascadero was galvanized over the threat of a looming Wal-Mart Supercenter in the Del Rio neighborhood and demanded ethics and transparency in their city government by all players."

Top stories of 2006 - No. 9: Atascadero May Stifle Wal-Mart's Intentions
The Tribune
December 27, 2006—"The Atascadero City Council next month is expected to consider a new law that would essentially bar Wal-Mart from building the Supercenter it has proposed in the city."

George Luna Assumes Mayorship
Atascadero News
December 15, 2006—"As George Luna begins his 15th year on the Atascadero City Council, he was once again chosen to serve as Atascadero's mayor."

Vote Became Wal-Mart Referendum
The Tribune
November 9, 2006—"The developer looking to bring a Wal-Mart Supercenter to Atascadero may have an uphill battle following a likely philosophical shift on the City Council."

City Needs Honest Government
Atascadero News
November 1, 2006—"I will raise my fist against decisions made to bring in awful corporations that destroy the surrounding environment."

The Future Of Atascadero Is At Stake
Atascadero News
November 1, 2006—"Don't let Atascadero be the best city money can buy."

Wal-Mart's Attendance Policy Criticized
Yahoo News
November 1, 2006—"The new rules already are drawing fire from critics who claim they are the latest attempt by the nation's largest private employer to weed out unhealthy and costly long-term workers as it seeks to cut labor costs."

Chula Vista 'Lifestyle Center' Trumps Mall
Union-Tribune
October 27, 2006—"In the retail world, enclosed malls with a department store at either end are as out as penny loafers and prairie dresses. What's hot are places such as Otay Ranch Town Center, where shoppers can see their kids frolic in fountains or people-watch in front of an outdoor fireplace."

Wal-Mart Has Made Its Intentions Clear
Atascadero News
October 25, 2006—"Recently, thousands of Atascadero residents received a brochure from Wal-Mart in the mails."

Thank You, Mcharris, Luna, For Protecting Our Public Process
Atascadero News
October 25, 2006—"I would like to second Sorrel Marks' suggestion, published on Oct. 19, that Councilperson Jerry Clay reconsider his appointment of Bob Kelley as a planning commissioner due to Kelley's recent involvement in trying to help developer Kelly Gearhart evade city planning requirements."

Citizen Says Country Needs More People Like Tom Comar
Atascadero News
October 23, 2006—"I love my country, and I will not cheat it by buying from a store that does not support the manufactures here. Every dime you spend at Wal-Mart is a dollar you cheated the very country that gives you a nice home and protection out of it."

Oppose Wal-Mart Must Be Doing Something Right
Atascadero News
October 23, 2006—"Oppose Wal-Mart's single message, based on the best independent economic and academic studies, has been loud and clear: A Wal-Mart Supercenter is a unique threat to our downtown development and the small-town character of Atascadero."

Atascadero Staffers Claim Pressure From Leaders
New Times
October 12, 2006—"Bob Kelley, an Atascadero planning commissioner and local Realtor, and Robert "Grigger" Jones, a local attorney, are being talked about and not just because they're both City Council candidates."

Jury Finds Wal-Mart Violated Labor Laws
CNN Money
October 13, 2006—"A Pennsylvania jury found that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. the world's biggest retailer, violated Pennsylvania labor laws by forcing employees to work "off the clock" or during rest breaks, the discounter and a court official said."

Four-Year Term Council Candiates Express Views
Atascadero News
October 6, 2006—"In preparation for the Nov. 7 mid-term election, the four candidates for two four-year term seats on the Atascadero City Council answer a variety of questions on their views and what issues they thing are important."

Council 2-Year Term Candidates Talk About Their Views, Issues
Atascadero News
October 4, 2006—"In preparation for the Nov. 7 mid-term election, the three candidates for one two-year term seat on the Atascadero City Council answered a variety of questions on their views and what issues they think are important."

Atascadero Revelations Rile City Leaders
New Times
September 7, 2006—"Some Atascadero city officials are angry and shocked after reading recently leaked documents that appear to reveal that city staff members were not only aware of the possibility of a Super Wal-Mart coming to the north end of town, but were actively involved in the planning process. "

Box Store Battle
New Times
"It was one hell of a city council meeting Tuesday night in Atascadero. "

Free Speech Threatened In Atascadero
New Times
"Atascadero residents packed the 7 p.m. meeting to find out how negotiations on a massive box store have been proceeding for more than a year behind closed doors."

Assessor Attempts To Clear Controversy
New Times
"Members of the public want to know why county assessor Tom Bordonaro is opposing ballot measures and promoting Wal-Mart and possibly violating the law by doing so." Adopt or Vote; we need the Atascadero Shield Initiative to move forward - It’s NOT just about Wal-mart
The Atascadero Shield Initiative is not ‘knee jerk” reaction as portrayed, but simply re-stating support for the EXISTING Atascadero zoning regulations setting maximum building size at 150,000 sq ft. Keep in mind a building that is larger than Cosco in SLO and would be the largest building in the county. This is NOT about Wal-Mart, it is about continuing with our agreed upon community standards. We want our regulations to be in line with the rest of the county; clear standards and processes HELP business move forward.

Why does every other city in the county have a Big Box ordinance in place?
Omitting the fact that every other city in the county (including Arroyo Grande, SLO and Paso Robles) has a Big Box ordinance in place makes the Atascadero Shield Initiative look like some kind of left wing conspiracy. If it’s good for the rest of the cities ( who HAVE Wal-Marts), why wouldn’t we deserve the same kind of governance here in Atascadero? As for the grocery provision, this is ensuring that any retailers coming in pay their fair share of retail taxes to the city’s coffers.

Read the UCSB/Watkins report before drawing conclusions:
Local press has cited Watkins’ conclusion that Atascadero’s retail sector is in trouble “due to local decisions”. In fact Watkins uses similar data to conclude that Paso is experiencing a decline but will bounce back. Furthermore, he tacks numbers showing increased traffic counts at both Curbaril and Traffic Way with no comment. Why does this need for strengthened infrastructure not factor into his pronouncements? Much of the data is quite valuable, but many of the statements are lacking in direct evidence; we expect more for our money as taxpayers.

Adopt the Atascadero Shield and save our city time and money
Adopting the Atascadero Shield Initiative will put our city in line with the rest of the county as well as much of the state. It’s only controversial if we as a community buy into making it so. Any business that comes to our community needs to make a positive impact in terms of both tax revenue and infrastructure support. Let’s get our house in order in our city so that we can go on to promote business and tourism that our community needs so much.

Nora Trentacoste
Atascadero

ASI Goes To The City Council
The Atascadero Shield Initiative (ASI), sponsored by Oppose Wal-Mart (OWM), has met the required number of valid signatures and is ready to be presented to the City Council June 24 for certification.

The Council has 3 options:

To adopt the initiative as an ordinance without alteration,
To submit the ordinance, without alteration, to the voters in November 08
Or, to order a report by staff and then either adopt or send the measure to the voters in November.

The Shield Initiative sets a 150,000 sf size cap on commercial retail stores and prohibits the discount superstore retail format with over 90,000 sf of gross sales floor space where more than 5% of the sale floor area is devoted to the sale of non-taxable goods, such as groceries,

Adoption of the Shield Ordinance would bring Atascadero into line with other Central Coast Cities: Paso Robles, Arroyo Grande and Santa Maria and SLO County itself. All have ordinances banning superstores.

The purpose of the Shield Ordinance is to better implement the General Plan by ensuring the long-term economic vitality of the Atascadero’s downtown businesses, protecting the rural, small town character and feel of this unique city of the Central Coast. It is a commitment to provide minimal development guidelines to ensure the region’s welfare and prevent the adverse impacts of LA style urbanization.

Lee Perkins ASI Coordinator

Wal-Mart Not Economic Sense For Atascadero
We live in Paso Robles but believe that your decision on the Wal-Mart Initiative will affect the entire North County. When Wal-Mart came to Paso Robles, there was a period of 3 to 4 years during which many of the downtown businesses closed or moved. Eventually, Paso’s downtown recovered and has been thriving since. However, those were very different economic times. The boom of the nineties, the rise of the wine industry and the arrival of the Park cinemas were essential to Paso’s downtown revival, rather than Wal-Mart coming into town. We observed that Paso’s success was despite Wal-Mart, not because of it.

In addition, the mortgage crisis and the recent down-turn of consumer confidence have created a very different economic outlook for the immediate future than Paso had in the early nineties.

Moreover, another Wal-Mart just 8 miles down the road could spell doom for the Paso Wal-Mart with unforeseen consequences later on. We do not think that the North County can support two Wal-Marts without further large population increases, which may or may not happen.

Therefore, we urge you to support the “Atascadero Shield Initiative” and to consider adopting it as a City Ordinance.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely
Klaus Schumann and Mary Jane Adams-Schumann

Once Again Wal-Mart Has Lied
Fact: it is on public record that Jerry Clay said he went to the Wal-Mart in Paso and talked to the employees there; he said the average worker makes $8.50 an hour. Fact: I was hired at the same Wal-Mart for $8.50 an hour in October 07, at learning this I decided I didn’t think that was a wage that was worth my time. Fact: Janice Mayrell, the store manager at the Wal-Mart in Paso Robles, stated at the March 11, Atascadero City Council meeting that the starting wage for Wal-Mart worker is $10.50 per hour; SHE FLAT OUT LIED. Can it be she deliberately took the store’s average, including management, and stated that instead of what a typical worker makes! When someone from Oppose Wal-Mart pointed the discrepancy out, they were booed. Of course Jerry Clay wasn’t going to say anything, because he was getting what he wanted; why should he let the truth get in the way of money! Of course when someone says something that Tom O’Malley and Jerry Clay disagree with, they are demonized and accused of being against the good of the town! They depend on people’s complacency to get what they want; go down to Paso and ask about ten people how much they make working for Wal-Mart and find out for yourselves who’s telling the truth.

As for their insurance, as a “peak-time hourly associate”, or part-time worker, because it’s very hard to get full time work there, I learned that I was eligible for insurance after 366 days of “continuous employment” no time off, no vacation. If on the other hand I was a “full-time hourly associate”, I would be eligible after 181 days. At such low pay, there was no way I could wait that long to get insurance. People don’t choose when they get sick or injured.

I also learned about their “no quit policy,” that you can’t just quit, but must first speak with one of their managers. This sounds Unconstitutional; I was awestruck at this thought!

Jay Slean Atascadero
(The Tribune, March 18, 2008)

Stick to General Plan
The Tribune
March 09, 2008—"What the city notice does not tell us is that Wal-Mart is again asking for a zone change. Wal-Mart owns 26 acres — 10 zoned for commercial and 16 zoned for residential."

City should hear the other consultants' presentations
Atascadero News
February 8, 2008—"Atascadero has had more than its share of controversial issues lately but if the city council does not reconsider tits latest decision to hire ADE as the firm to perform the financial analysis for Atascadero, it will add another that is completely unnecessary."

Economic consultant was compromised
Atascadero News
February 6, 2008—"Voting on Applied Development Economics without hearing competing finalists or giving them the second interview undermines a comprehensive selection process."

Reader concerned over a conflict of interest
Atascadero News
February 6, 2008—"I am concerned about the potential conflict of interest presented by the Atascadero City Council's hasty consideration in hiring Applied Development Economics as Atascadero's economic consultant."

Wal-Mart Supercenter must be stopped
Atascadero News
February 6, 2008—"Many people ask why Atascadero residents are fighting against the proposed Wal-Mart when there are already Wal-Marts in Paso and Arroyo Grande. The Supercenter concept is the root of the problem with Wal-Mart's proposal."

Give Atascadero a chance
Atascadero News
January 30, 2008—"Since when is the Atascadero News Constantino Santos' personal blog?"

Wal-Mart just doesn't get it
Atascadero News
November 23, 2007—"I am opposed to the Wal-Mart Supercenter. You can change the size, but a supercenter is still a supercenter. A 150,000-square-foot store would be the largest in the entire county — it is out of scale and must be blocked."

City should Name something after Tom Comar
Atascadero News
November 23, 2007—"Perhaps your city should name a park or street or something after Tom Comar. Way to go, Tom."

Letters to the Editor On Atascadero's Wal-Mart Issue
The Tribune
November 27, 2007—"I wonder how disappointed Ronald Mac (Letters, Nov. 17) and cohorts will be to learn that Wal-Mart has been featured twice in recent weeks by the Wall Street Journal on its efforts to avoid (evade?) income taxes."

Atascadero has options, choices for development
Atascadero News
November 2, 2007—"The Atascadero City Council's 4-1 decision Monday not to process the Wal-Mart/Rottman applications to amend the General Plan and zoning ordinance for a four football field-size Wal-Mart Supercenter is a courageous and diligent act."

Reader thanks others for speaking up
Atascadero News
November 2, 2007—"I just want to say how honored I feel to live in a community of such intelligent and caring people."

City should think outside the box
Atascadero News
November 2, 2007—"If Bakersfield can pick itself up out of the gutter and become a nice and well-kept community, surely Atascadero can."

Wal-Mart leads to L.A.
I would like to speak out against the Wal-Mart project. I have nothing against Wal-Mart. I occasionally patronize their store in Paso Robles, as I'm sure many Atascadero residents do. That's just the point, they're already here. We already have access to that inventory and consider them a good neighbor in Paso Robles.

Atascadero and the Central Coast in general are regarded as a very desirable place to live. The reason is that we have fresh air, wide-open spaces, relatively uncongested highways and, at this point in time, a fairly small-town atmosphere. We're also surrounded by beautiful vineyards and ranches.

What do you suppose we will sacrifice if we begin to allow projects of this magnitude into our community? Over time, do you suppose a little fresh air might disappear? How about wide-open spaces, uncongested highways and the small-town atmosphere?

Now consider the beautiful vineyards and ranches. You can't build a 195,000-square-foot development on a postage stamp sized lot. Do you suppose a vineyard or ranch might disappear?

Use your imagination to project a few years into the future. Guess what? Our community now looks just like San Francisco or Los Angeles; just what many of us came here to get away from.

Don't do it. Just say no.

Scott D. McDaniels
(The Tribune, September 30, 2007)

Atascadero, Keep the zoning
I was one of the people surveyed on the concept of a Wal-Mart in Atascadero. My position is not unlike that of many people: I have nothing against shopping at Wal-Mart, but I don't want a Supercenter in our small town.

The survey Wal-Mart is planning to use to promote "community support" for a zoning change did not distinguish between a smaller store (such as the one in Paso Robles) and a Supercenter. San Luis Obispo won't allow a Wal-Mart of any size, and just as they restricted housing until people had to go to the next town up the road for an affordable place to live, Wal-Mart is trying the next-best location they can get into. That doesn't make it a good fit for our city's needs.

Let's not make this a divisive issue. Let us keep the zoning as approved by the General Plan. Wal-Mart can redesign their project to fit, and it can still be a win-win situation for all sides.

Wal-Mart isn't going to get shoppers from San Luis Obispo anyway—being from Arkansas, they have no idea of the psychological barrier the Cuesta Grade presents to coastal residents.

Our City Council members were elected because voters knew there were shades of gray on this topic.

Kate Duvall
Atascadero
(The Tribune, September 30, 2007)

Watch out for Wal-mart
I am not a resident of Atascadero and therefore am unconcerned as to whether or not Wal-Mart is allowed to build a Supercenter there. However, I have witnessed the "aftermath" when one of these shopping meccas moves into an area.

My wife and I, since retirement, have RVed through all contiguous 48 states and learned first-hand what happens when local merchants find it impossible to compete. All across the nation, from coast to coast, we drove through boarded-up downtown business districts and dilapidated, deserted strip malls and then, on the outskirts, there it was. . .the Wal-Mart. And, I am sad to say we joined the throngs of shoppers. We had to replenish our supplies and there was nowhere else to shop.

I say to the citizens of Atascadero, if you have at all any sense of loyalty to the merchants who have served you over the years, if you have any pride in your community, be careful what you wish for.

Ken Hanson
Los Osos
(The Tribune, September 30, 2007)

Flawed survey yields flawed results
As a responder to the Atascadero Wal-Mart survey, I question its reliability. The survey was funded by Wal-Mart and The Rottman Group — not exactly objective. The survey did not distinguish between Wal-Mart and Wal-Mart Supercenter — very different impacts. Survey questions included misleading statements (Wal-Mart advertising) making it unclear how to respond.

How could we take a survey seriously when it says 45 percent of responders are not concerned about impacts of development the size of four football fields on residential neighborhoods? That's one of the real costs of a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Community members, leaders and professional experts spent considerable time and money (our money) updating our general plan; a plan that would allow a 150,000-square-foot store (that's 20 percent larger than Home Depot) in commercial zoning. What is the community value in fueling opposing opinions regarding projects outside General Plan criteria. During "Just Listening," The Rottman Group said businesses looking to locate in Atascadero are not dependent upon a supercenter. So why are we still arguing?

We (as a community and as individuals) should support projects that are consistent with our general plan — support them with our words, our efforts and our shopping dollars. Atascadero will be exactly what we make it.

Sorrel Marks
(Atascadero News, August 29, 2007)

Rottman Group got the answers it wanted
I was one of the lucky folks that got to participate in the recent survey. I gotta say the company that the Rottman group hired put together some excellent questions. Some were so vague that you could interpret the answers to mean anything and others seemed designed to elicit an answer favorable to the Wal-Mart Supercenter. I particularly liked, "Will Wal-Mart be good for the city because it will generate more than $700,000 a year in additional sales tax revenue?"

First of all, I'm not sure that Wal-Mart will generate more than $700,000 a year in sales tax revenue. Where did this number come from? Nobody could know what the actual number is. Did the question mean that the city's sales tax revenue will go up by $700,000 a year or will some of that tax revenue come from sales made at Wal-Mart and not at other stores in Atascadero.

Is Wal-Mart going to guarantee that the city gets an additional $700,000 a year? Another question that was talked about in the news article was the one about whether or not Atascadero is going in the right direction. An answer to that could mean pretty much anything. I answered no based on my belief that we are headed for a Wal-Mart.

Someone else could answer no because they thought we might not get a Wal-Mart.

So as I said at the beginning, the Rottman Group hired a good company and got the answers it wanted.

Bill Bright
(Atascadero News, August 29, 2007)

Wal-Mart Is Not A Good Model
I have watched with chagrin all of the latest discussion regarding the possibilities of a Wal-Mart supercenter being located in Atascadero. I would like to remind the Atascadero City Council, the mayor of Atascadero, and County Assessor Tom Bordanaro that in November of 2003, the Los Angeles Times ran a three-part article about Wal-Mart entitled "Remaking the World of Work," which thoroughly documents the type of business model Wal-Mart has perfected. The Tribune also carried this series on Thursday, Nov. 27, Friday, Nov. 28 and Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003.

Other box stores such as Home Depot, Kmart and Target do a lot of the same things as Wal-Mart, but not nearly to the same extent. Besides the obvious criticisms that people have been leveling at Wal-Mart's business model — low wages and poor benefits for workers, no union organization, relying on government subsidies to alleviate workers not having enough benefits, creating a desert-landscape for businesses unable to compete — a major one that has all but been ignored is that many of the cheap products offered by Wal-Mart are produced in third-world countries, at the expense of their workers.

This expense is pushed even further by Wal-Mart on a yearly basis in these countries, by forcing those businesses to squeeze their workers to increase production for the same money as the previous year or Wal-Mart will take their business to a different factory. To me, the issue is a moral one. Driving people to economic slavery whether domestically or abroad is something we should not condone or support.

This article made such a deep impression on me, that I used it in my economics classes at Del Rio High School in Atascadero, so we could have a discussion about whether or not ethics should be part of a corporation's structure. I believe it would not hurt anyone to read these articles, and am taking it upon myself to mail them to the city council and Mr. Bordanaro. I have a hard time believing that the city I taught school in is willing to support such a predatory corporate model just to increase the tax base. I hope the citizens vote all of this down.

Michael P. Burrell
(Atascadero News, September 8, 2006)

Resident Was Excited For A 'Live, Shop, Dine' Development In City
When I first saw the signs for the Annex with the slogan "Live, Shop, Dine" and an artist's rendition of what appeared to be a quaint, elegant, upscale development, I was excited. Then I began to hear rumors that a Super Wal-Mart might be going in at that same location and I was confused. Now, I think I finally understand, we can shop at the Super Wal-Mart, eat at the McDonalds inside and live in a camper in the parking lot.

M. Carroll
Atascadero
(Atascadero News, September 6, 2006)

The Wal-Mart cost
Tom Bordonaro and his group's endorsement of a Wal-Mart in Atascadero for the sake of taxpayers is disingenuous, manipulative or misinformed. In 2004, a UC Berkeley study estimated that Wal-Mart's employment policies cost California taxpayers $86 million a year. That's $32 million annually in health-related services, and $54 million a year in other assistance, such as subsidized housing, school lunches and food stamps. The report relied on a variety of sources. In 21 states that have done studies of corporate workers on public assistance, Wal-Mart ranks first in numbers of employees being helped by the taxpayer. Wal-Mart even has an associates' "social service document" giving instructions on how to apply to public assistance programs.

In 2004, a government committee estimated that Wal-Mart employees were eligible for $2.5 billion in assistance. One 200-employee Wal-Mart store can cost taxpayers $420,750 per year. And that's just employee assistance. A Wal-Mart official stated that "it is common" for the company to request subsidies "in about one-third of all (retail) projects." A national report in 2004 documented at least $1 billion in tax breaks and "incentives" from state and local governments.

So, which taxpayers is Mr. Bordonaro protecting?

Jan Scott
Arroyo Grande
(The Tribune, August 28, 2006)

Inappropriate influence
Regarding the Aug. 18 article "Wal-Mart support campaign launched": I was quite startled to learn that a taxpayer support group, backed by our county assessor, Tom Bordonaro, is campaigning in support of Wal-Mart's planned arrival in Atascadero. As if Wal-Mart lacks clout to arrive on its own.

Having just attended a two- hour meeting required by the city of Paso Robles for advisory body members, City Council members and key city employees, covering ethics principles, laws and dilemmas, as mandated by new state law AB 1234, I found this news particularly disturbing. Any public perception of questionable ethics is to be avoided by all elected or appointed officials, and I think that Mr. Bordonaro would do well to attend such training. I believe that he is using his position inappropriately to influence the citizens whom he represents.

Wal-Mart Corp. is imbued with controversy. Tax revenues are valuable, no doubt, but more valuable is a community's right to decide for itself what future it wants and that might not include a Super Wal-Mart. Atascadero's citizenry should be left to decide their own course without the interference of elected county officials.

Patricia M. Crawford
Paso Robles
(The Tribune, August 28, 2006)

Atascadero has alternatives to Wal-Mart
I'm happy to know that our city leaders are thinking about upgrading Atascadero. However, I feel strongly that adding even more big box stores to north county—and specifically to Atascadero—will quickly downgrade the economic and social quality of life for current and future residents.

I am a citizen who is deeply concerned about the economic well-being of our nation and our cities, but not at the expense of the economic health of our citizens. Bringing in too many big box stores will surely drive out local businesses that count on a place in our community. These family-owned and small businesses are the heart of our county. I ALWAYS CHOOSE SMALL BUSINESSES FIRST, NO MATTER WHERE I AM IN THE WORLD.

I am conscious of the serious economic plunderings of mega-corporations, and I am especially disturbed by the negative impact of the Wal-Mart corporation on cities, and on people. It is a fact that Wal-Mart has raked in more than ONE BILLION DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY over the last 10 years. While that may not be a deep cut per capita, the fiscal result nationally is the LOSS OF MONIES FOR EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE, just to name two basic needs of any society. No amount of charitable contributions on its part will make up for the damage already done.

Wal-Mart is a scourge on society, robbing local businesses and local wage-earners—as well as residents—of our community sustainability, health, and fellowship.

Luckily, there are other ways to create upside!

I joyfully envision the Annex filled with local businesses that we need, such as nice restaurants and lounges; boutique shops of many varieties; an Internet coffee shop in the tradition of our own Coffeehouse and Deli, but with books and gift items for sale and lots of comfy seating; a park; a market like Spencer's; a skate park; and a performing-arts venue.

But be sure to widen the Del Rio overpass to four or six lanes to accommodate the increase in traffic!

(Note to myself: If I don't get my way on this issue and Wal-Mart moves in next door, call Dennis Moresco and beg him to put a gate on our Colony at Apple Valley to keep the Wal-Mart overnight "guests from "unintentionally "meandering into our little park in their "touring vehicles and "accidentally "forgetting to put their empty 40-oz. beer cans, 72-oz. soda cups, and KFC tubs in the trash.)

Sharine Borslien
Atascadero
(New TImes)