Need Help Quick! Regarding Walmart

[cags]

Just found out today that they want to put a Super Walmart a few blocks from my house.

There will be public hearing tonight at 7:00 and my husband wants to go.

So he has 2 hours to prepare what he wants to say.

We need any facts that he can use in a quick speech. So for all of you in the know please help. We live in a highly repub area so we need good solid facts against Walmart.

Thanks

[noamnety]

1. Here's a flier for you

Thanks to my daughter and her friend:

http://ideamouth.com/politics/walmartflyer.pdf

(print front and back, cut into thirds)

[cags]

11. Thanks, I'm printing it now.

[cags]

15. Those fliers were great, My daughter is there right now with

her Dad handing them out.

Thanks again to your daughter and her friend.

[noamnety]

18. I'll pass it on to them

They're always happy to see them get used.

They (in all their high school glory) have a usual Walmart they picket once a month. They found out last month that the Raging Grannies were staging a protest - they were indignant that they weren't informed - they feel some ownership over it, I guess. :D

They went and joined the Grannies, stood out in the December Michigan cold together.

[Solon]

2. Here's a link:

http://www.walmartwatch.com/bad/

[BrklynLiberal]

3. check out this site for some info

http://kimsey.stonepics.com/walmart.htm

[RoeBear]

4. Nice of them to give you

2 hours of notice. From prior experience I don't think there is anything that you could possibly say that would change there minds. All the deals were done in the 'back rooms' before they let the public in on it.

[Robbien]

13. They can be fought.

We fought one going in here on the north side of Chicago. It just takes a lot of organizing and signing of petitions.

[RoeBear]

17. Not with 2 hours of prep

like they gave our thread starter.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. Here is an article about a community that fought WALMART

http://www.detnews.com/2004/metro/0412/13/A01-31360.htm

[Dr.Phool]

6. Are you in Tarpon Springs by chance?

I'm in Holiday, and I wanna fight it too.

[cags]

9. No, North Texas

Small Town, 12,000 people

[Dr.Phool]

12. They're trying to put one about 3 blocks from my home

In Florida, and I just found out they're having a meeting tonight too! Gotta stop 'em. The road can't handle any more traffic.

Want to rile up the Texans? There is only one country on earth that has a policy of FORCED abortion. CHINA!

Who is the largest importer of chinese products in the world? WAL-MART~!!!!

[katinmn]

7. check out corporate watch. Lots of w-m articles!

http://www.corpwatch.org/search.php?q=Wall-Mart&x=27&y=3

[MadHound]

8. A few basic questions you need to know/ask

What is the zoning in the proposed area?

What kind of tax breaks/other perks is the city thinking of giving up to WalMart?

Point out that for every job WalMarts create, the surrounding city/community loses 1.5 jobs.

Will the surrounding infrastructure support a Super WalMart? Consider the traffic factor, especially if there is a school close by.

Has there been an enviromental impact report done of locating that Super WalMart? There should be one done, considering that our local Super WalMart has had a huge impact on a local creek through the untreated discharge in the enclosed McDonalds.

I would come up with some more, but I've got to go. City council meeting tonight that I'm speaking at against the ongoing development. Good luck, and see if you can't get your city council to postpone a decsion so that you can come up with more facts. "How Wal Mart is destroying America" is a good source book if you can find it. Good luck.

[jody]

10. Consider the following

http://www.corpwatch.org/search.php?q=wal+mart&x=25&y=6

[BlueEyedSon]

14. Some talking points

1. Walmart workers are not well paid, are provided poor health insurance (none?). They are advised by Walmart managers to use any and all available social services they are eligible for and the hospital emergency room, if necessary, for primary care. So your municipality and state are SUBSIDIZING Walmart.

2. Often Walmart will work a deal locally for tax abatement etc for the capital improvements needed for them to move in. On the face of it, it looks like a good deal.... Walmart has to build a big structure - possibly an entire mall - plus parking and possibly access road improvements. They will bring sales & other taxes, commerce, provide jobs.

3. Walmart seeks the lowest prices. That means they are ruthless outsourcers of manufacturing of the stuff they carry.

4. They pass along the low prices. Good for consumers, but eventually that will put all the local mom & pop stores out of business, because they cannot compete on price.

5. If the corporate office decides that store is not making enough profit margin, they close up shop. By then they have taken all their tax incentives, put all the other stores (i.e. employers) out of business and poof... gone.

You'll have to search for web sources for all these if you want to be authoritative.

Here is one link: http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/walmart.html

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. Print the second half of this too

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1128-26.htm

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