Mark,<br> <br> Thank you for your response. I encourage you to a take a deeper look at the facts rather then just accepting what union organizations and their hired political operatives provide you.<br> <br> It states right on the door at Wal-Mart their starting wage is $8.70 an hour-not that hard of information to find. You can verify that information by asking any stock-boy around or friend you have working for Wal-Mart. <br> <br> Second, the rezoning was about a Supercenter. To try and say it was not is intellectually dishonest. Your organization was sending out emails, in mass, asking people to oppose the rezone to stop the Supercenter. I got a few of them even. <br> <br> Third, your information regarding wages and benefits is outdated and based on information at least 5 years old. <br> <br> Fourth, Wal-Mart is the highest employer of Hispanics in the country. It has more Black applicants to its store than any other company in Chicago. It has taken
more people off of welfare than any other company in the history of the country. <br> <br> Fifth, many companies, including many I have worked for, count 34 or less hours as full time so that employees can qualify for health insurance. Lowering the number of hours makes it easier for people get benefits, not harder, Mark. Think about that. A company trying to cheat employees out of full time benefits would require more hours worked to get those benefits, not less. Wal-Mart does not forbid people from working more than 32 hours a week. <br> <br> Sixth, adding a Supercenter does not prevent other higher paying jobs from being created. Blocking business does persuade smaller companies that cannot afford a no answer from trying. And one can live on $8.70 an hour. In fact, thousands of people in Moscow are. <br> <br> Seventh, yes, there are lawsuits against a multi-billion company. If you had a billion dollars there would be lawsuits against you too, every kind
you think of and many more you would have never thought of. In fact, I know of few major chain stores that don't have major lawsuits against them. Does the company that made your car ever get sued? Yet you still drive it? The rubber in your tires was made with bonded child labor in a third world country in South America, as was the beans that made your latte. The computer you are using was made using diamonds harvested through forced child labor in Africa. Want to know where the money goes when you pay for your gas? So get off that holier than thou path, Solomon. <br> <br> We need jobs. We need jobs that pay more than $6.50 an hour. I don't expect the City to do it, but at least it could get the hell out of the way so somebody else can. <br> <br> Best,<br> <br> Donovan J Arnold<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br><br><b><i>Mark Solomon <msolomon@moscow.com></i></b> wrote:<blockquote class="replbq" style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255);
margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"> <style type="text/css"><!-- blockquote, dl, ul, ol, li { padding-top: 0 ; padding-bottom: 0 } --></style><title>RE: The Immorality of Blocking a Supercenter</title> <div>Donovan,</div> <div> </div> <div>I'll echo John Dickinson's comments about the substance of the rezone proceedings. Yes, we all knew that WalMart was part of the picture, but it was outside the framework of the rezone proceeding to discuss any particular retailer. The discussion and decision were about whether that 77-acre parcel should be developed as Motor Business. While we (NoSuperWalmart) were fully prepared to have a full discussion about Walmart itself, that forum was not the appropriate place.</div> <div><br></div> <div>As for your letter to Council, many of your factual assertions about Walmart are misleading or incomplete.</div> <div> </div> <div>I have tried to verify your claim that Walmart has a starting wage of $8 to $9,
but I can't find any information to verify those numbers. </div> <div>http://www.pbs.org/itvs/storewars/stores3.html</div> <div><br></div> <div> In any event, starting wage is not really an appropriate measure of whether a company provides the type of employment Moscow wants or needs. You also have to look at benefits, and as you know Walmart's benefits have been criticized all over the country, including by Republicans in Idaho's state house. You have to look at whether the job provides enough hours to bring home meaningful wage. Walmart considered full-time work to be 32 hours per week, and has announced plans to provide substantially fewer hours to workers by shifting to a part-time (fewer than 28 hour) workforce. You also have to look at the ability to advance in the job over time. According to the PBS documentary on Frontline, "Wal-Mart employees start at the same salary as unionized employees in similar lines of
work, they make 25 percent less than their unionized counterparts after two years at the job." In fact, a corporate communication released last October actually complained that workers who remain with the company for seven years are a drain on its resources.</div> <div> </div> <div>In Moscow, we need jobs that will allow residents to work enough to support their families and advance through hard work and experience. Walmart does not provide those types of jobs. And Walmart is likely to hurt businesses that do provide real full time employment and benefits to workers. If you fairly consider the issue of jobs and employment, you are likely to find that Walmart would be bad, not good for Moscow. </div> <div> </div> <div>And that does not even take into account the workers in American manufacturing who have lost their livelihood as a result of Walmart, or the workers in developing company who toil in sweatshops to make the
stuff that Walmart sells. (Morality doesn't really stop at the County line, does it?)</div> <div> </div> <div>Your claim that Walmart helps the elderly and minorities has no support and is contrary to documented evidence. In fact, an internal Walmart document released last October shows that the company is focusing on hiring young and able workers precisely so that they can avoid health and other expenses. The memo, written by WalMart's executive vice president, proposes that the company take steps to discourage unhealthy job applicants, by making sure that "all jobs to include some physical activity." <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/10/27/BUG3JFEL7F1.DTL">http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/10/27/BUG3JFEL<span></span>7F1.DTL</a></div> <div> </div> <div>Walmarts' record with regard to diversity and equal rights is not good either. There are class action law suits by
Wal-Mart workers alleging discrimination based on gender and race all over the county. There are charges that Walmart engaged in racial profiling against its customers after suspicious incidents in several states. If you consider racism, sexism and ageism to be immoral, then you should be glad that Walmart has chosen not to build a super center in our town.</div> <div><a href="http://www.sptimes.com/2005/12/02/Tampabay/Racial_profiling_fear.shtml">http://www.sptimes.com/2005/12/02/Tampabay/Racial_profiling_fear.sht<span></span>ml</a></div> <div><br></div> <div>Mark S.</div> <div> </div> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">From: "John Dickinson" <johnd@moscow.com></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Subject: [Vision2020] RE: The Immorality of Blocking a Supercenter</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Cc:</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Date: Tue, 27 Jun
2006 17:26:25 -0700</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">To: "'Donovan Arnold'" <donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com>, <aaronament@moscow.com>,</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><x-tab> </x-tab><lpall@moscow.com>, <bstout@ci.moscow.id.us>,</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><x-tab> </x-tab><blambert@ci.moscow.id.us>, <jweber@ci.moscow.id.us>,</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><x-tab> </x-tab><nchaney@ci.moscow.id.us>, <vision2020@moscow.com></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Donovan,</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">I disagree with most of what you say, mostly because you begin many of your concerns with premises that I disagree
with, so I will concentrate on just a few of your points.</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Recent City Council actions regarded the rezoning of a large chink of land into a single type of commercial zone. The Planning and Zoning Commission had reviewed this request earlier. The decision by City Council was the same as the decision by P&Z. I think that all of us expected the developers to return with a more interesting way of using the entire property (that was the suggestion of P&Z and Council). As others have said, I don't think that any particular development required the entire property.</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">The vote was not about Wal-Mart (which could not be mentioned at the meetings). I would have loved to have gotten to the stage where we could have discussed the design of a specific store - we have never
gotten to that point. Informal conversations I have had with my brother, Pete Dickinson - Pullman City Planner, and others have enlightened me to the variety of designs that Wal-Mart (and I assume other stores of this type) use.</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">I don't think we can be accused of being anti-Wal-Mart, Moscow has a Wal-Mart. There are discussions about sizes of retail stores. I think discussions are good; there are many points of view to consider.</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">I don't think that Moscow is anti-business. I don't believe that it is responsible government to say Yes to every development without question - whether it be residential or commercial. I thought that the results of both the P&Z and the Council were positive messages to the developers. Their
public statements led me to this conclusion.</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">We cannot preserve Moscow's character by freezing the community. But I do think that the community can and should continue to ask questions about every development, lot division, street improvement, budget line item, i.e. everything - because this is your community and we all want to pass it on to our children's children in a form that they would be proud to live in.</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">John Dickinson</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Moscow City Council</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""> <hr size="2"> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><b>From:</b> Donovan Arnold
[mailto:donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com]</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, June 27, 2006 8:27 AM</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><b>To:</b> aaronament@moscow.com; lpall@moscow.com; bstout@ci.moscow.id.us; blambert@ci.moscow.id.us; jweber@ci.moscow.id.us; johnd@moscow.com; nchaney@ci.moscow.id.us; vision2020@moscow.com</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><b>Subject:</b> The Immorality of Blocking a Supercenter</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Dear Mayor Chaney and members of the City Council,</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">I am writing you regarding the recent decision of the City to block a Wal-Mart Supercenter. I believe such a decision is damaging to most of the residents of
Moscow and the surrounding community, but particularly its most vulnerable for several reasons.</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">First, Wal-Mart has a starting wage of $8-$9 an hour. This is a significantly higher wage then what other grocery stores, retail outlets, and even the City have established as a starting wage. Even the Co-Op pays 18% less than Wal-Mart. I challenge the Mayor and members of the City Council, or any resident to find a grocery or general retail store that pays a higher starting wage in our local community. With the City rejecting the businesses that pay higher wages, the City is expressing that it believes $5.15 is an acceptable wage for the people of Moscow. A Wal-Mart Supercenter would provide more jobs that pay higher wage while also requiring other employees to pay their workers a similar livable wage if they desire to keep quality workers.</blockquote> <blockquote
type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Second, a Wal-Mart Supercenter provides goods and services not otherwise offered in the Moscow area. Millions of dollars are lost every year to Pullman, Lewiston, Spokane, and the Internet because the City is blocking retail outlets from selling those products. A Supercenter would offer more goods and services to the people of Moscow while keeping tax dollars and jobs here in Moscow where they belong.</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Third, A Wal-Mart Supercenter would offer goods and services at a lower cost to members of the community because it can move high volume and has the infrastructure to do so efficiently. With an average salary of only $24,000 a year for Moscow residents, and an annual household income of about
$30,000 for Latah households, costs need to be lower, not higher. Moscow residents have to pay more for goods and services already because of a lack of competition, the cost of shipping a low volume of goods a long distance, and a lack of capital in investments in roads and infrastructure to do it effectively. To punish Moscow residents with an added transportation tax by making them drive to another town to get the items they need at an affordable price is another unnecessary burden inflicted on the people by the City. </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Fourth, Moscow loses even more jobs. When Moscow blocks one business that puts resources into trying to locate here, it blocks two more that decide not to attempt as a result. The City has developed a far reaching reputation that it does not want businesses here. That hurts the residents of
Moscow. </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Fifth, we lose anyway. The City of Moscow will simply lose to Pullman, Latah, or Whitman County. We will still have all the negative impacts of having a Wal-Mart Supercenter but without the tax dollars, jobs, and surrounding businesses that prosper from close proximity to the new store. </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Finally, I think there are diversity and equality issues that are being ignored. The people that have the most difficulty getting and keeping a job at a decent wage are minorities, the elderly, and the disabled. Wal-Mart has successfully employed these individuals in higher numbers than anyone else. Many small businesses do not high the elderly and disabled in any
greater numbers than they have to because they fear medical and retirement costs. Minorities have always been discriminated against. I think it sends a clear message to other businesses in the community when the most successful retail outlet in the world does so by hiring in higher numbers people other businesses won't hire because of age, ethnicity, or disability. The city has a moral obligation to not bar businesses that employ and give opportunities to those other businesses only hire out of fear of the law, rather than acknowledging that they have real value and skills that make a business successful. For the City to block the greatest opportunities for the elderly, poor, disabled, and minorities is discrimination. The only people allowed by our City leaders to make a decent living wage in our community appears to be the wealthy members that have the capital to create and expand their own businesses and are allowed to employ everyone else for a slave wage
of $5.15 an hour.</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">I ask that the Mayor and members of the City Council reconsider and allow a Supercenter into our community. Blocking commerce hurts both the seller and buyer, and the buyers are the residents of Moscow. Blocking higher starting wages in our community hurts the poorest. Shutting down, slowing down, removing, and blocking employers that hire the disabled, elderly, and minorities, hurts the elderly, disabled, and minorities. I hope you will consider these facts as the county and University lose population and the number of people in Moscow continue to live a lower quality of life in comparison to rest of the state and nation.</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite=""> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Best Regards,</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Donovan J Arnold</blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite="">Moscow Resident</blockquote> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite=""><br></blockquote> <div> </div> <div><br></div> =====================================================<br> List services made available by First Step Internet, <br> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <br> http://www.fsr.net <br> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<br>====================================================<br></blockquote><br><p> 
<hr size=1>Why keep checking for Mail? The <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=42242/*http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/handraisers">all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta</a> shows you when there are new messages.