Thursday, Sep. 06, 2007

We can do better than Wal-Mart

Wake up, Ceres politicians and citizens! Wal-Mart likes developing in small towns because it gets what it wants without much opposition.

The promises to keep the existing store, the creation of jobs and the proposed tax revenue do not provide the rosy benefits they appear to.

Forget what you think you know about Wal-Mart and consider the less-publicized facts surrounding the chain. There are many allegations against Wal-Mart.

Here are a few:

• Willfully violating the federal Robinson-Patman Act, which enables Wal-Mart to sell at lower prices than the actual cost of the goods at the expense of its local competitors.
• Reducing land values and increasing welfare costs.
• Attracting customers by false advertising, i.e. the "made in America' campaign.
• Lowering local wage standards, resulting in workers' poverty.
• Hiring part-time and temporary employees, thereby depriving employees of profit sharing, health benefits, vacation pay, etc.
• Requiring suppliers to manufacture goods in Third World countries, with child labor.
• Four hundred percent higher crime rate than Target.

Let's promote the growth of Ceres by speaking against Wal-Mart's plans. No matter what Wal-Mart promises, the land can be put to better use.

SHERRI JACOBSON

Ceres