Excuse me? Count me with the 62 percent of Venturans, who were polled by the Coastal Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy, who would not welcome a Wal-Mart. Even if Wal-Mart conforms aesthetically to the Victoria Corridor's development guidelines and builds an "eco-friendly" building, I would not welcome Wal-Mart in Ventura.

Why? The facts about Wal-Mart paint a disturbing picture of ruthless business practices and corporate greed: poverty-level wages, costly healthcare, thousands of violations of fair labor standards, gender discrimination and an anti-union policy that includes threats, intimidation and the illegal firing of employees who attempt to organize a union. These practices enable Wal-Mart to compete fiercely with local businesses. Those that survive will no doubt have to lower wages to their employees and raise their health benefit costs.

Around the world, Wal-Mart continually seeks to increase its ability to name its own price for the cheap products they purchase. In some places, factory employees work 84 hours a week and still can't support their families. Factory owners are helpless to improve their employees' pay or working conditions, as Wal-Mart will not hesitate to take their business to another poor city or country that will meet their price. Their power only grows with each new Wal-Mart they open.

Many communities are now refusing to let them in, despite the perceived loss of tax revenue. They are looking at the bigger picture of what Wal-Mart really brings to a community, and what the true cost of all those low, low prices is to their families.
If you feel as I do, please get involved, and together, let's stop Wal-Mart from spreading, like a cancer, into Ventura.

— Karen Kinrose, Ventura