AFTER A SIX-MONTH EFFORT, the Stop Wal-Mart Ventura Coalition submitted almost 13,000 signatures to Ventura's City Clerk today in support of an effort to keep a Wal-Mart Supercenter from being built on the site of the old K-Mart building on Victoria Avenue.
"We are confident that we have collected more than enough signatures to qualify our Ventura Super Store initiative for the ballot. The sheer number of signatures should make it clear to the city and to Wal-Mart itself that Venturans don't want Wal-Mart here," said Livable Ventura chair Nan Waltman.
If passed by the voters, the initiative would prevent a store of 90,000 square feet or more which sells nontaxable items like groceries on more than 3 percent of its floor space. The measure also forbids "piece-mealing" -- making an existing smaller store larger to create a Super Store.
According to Stop Wal-Mart organizers, the initiative would be retroactive should the corporation decide to put in a store before the voters have a chance to decide on the issue in the fall of 2009. It would then be up to the courts to enforce it.
THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY the initiative could go before voters earlier. If at least 8,900 signatures are valid, it would trigger an early 2009 special election, but the coalition would prefer to avoid this because it would cost the city much more than placing it on the ballot in November 2009, the date of the next regular municipal election. The county is required to report within 30 working days the results of the signature verification.
As I reported in the previous entry, Wal-Mart does seem intent on building on the site, but hasn't made anything official yet. The Stop Wal-Mart group thinks a move is imminent.
"We have information that Wal-Mart will receive bids for construction this fall," said Livable Ventura staffer Das Williams.
A vote by the citizens would be the best way to settle this issue which has certainly divided the community.
As I've stated previously, this is all about a group of elitist, pro-union activists (many of whom are out-of-towners - like Das Williams), who are trying to prevent Venturans from having more shopping choices, interfering with the free market system, making it harder for low income people in the community, depriving students and seniors of job opportunities, and depriving the City of important sales tax revenue to support important services (like public safety and street maintenance).
Need I say more? I hope the good people of Ventura pick up on this and vote this thing down. It's not good for our town.
RE: sells nontaxable items like groceries on more than 3 percent of its floor space
So...everything should be "nontaxable"....why should the government make money off of us when we spend "our" money....the ventura county government has way too much money....public employee salaries and perks are way out of line compared to the private sector....
The Stop Wal-Mart group was launched by Ventura citizens who asked for help from the larger groups like CAUSE and others. The initiative will pass.
By affiliating themselves with groups like CAUSE (a socialist, politically-motivated organization), they are eroding their credibility.
Once the truth comes out about who supports this measure and why (union activists, elitist/NIMBY residents, marxist/socialist organizations), it will fail at the ballot box.
Wal-Mart will be good for Ventura. Most people (who actually live here) know this already. The key will be turning them out in high numbers on election day to defeat this measure.
The Chamber and local business community are already putting together a strategy to defeat this initiative because of the long-term harm it will do to future economic development efforts.
This thing is not going to sail through. It is going to be a major battle.
This group makes me so angry. This is a rather obvious attempt by Target and the Mall to keep their competition out of Ventura. These people are being used knowingly or unknowingly by big business. I can't believe that people get sucked into this idea.
I think that Wal-Mart will actually benefit people who are looking for lower end and entry level jobs. These are the people who aren't going to find work in other places and who are too poor to travel outside of Ventura.
I hope this does not pass or is ignored. This is a Private business after all. The government has no right or jurisdiction to interfere.
If your reading this and you think that Wal-Mart will destroy the way of life, etc. crap I hear from people, then let's change the ballot measure so we can kick out the Pacific View Mall and the Targets in Town. Let's only allow the Mom and Pop Businesses in Ventura!!! Otherwise I think you’re being insincere with alternative motives and your arguments are crap.
It seems contradictory to me that this group claims that this initiative will “solve our traffic woes” but I read today that stores like Best Buy, Costco and Home Depot can still build in Ventura, since the “grocery” limitation doesn’t apply to them. Don’t these large retail stores generate just as much traffic or more as a Wal-Mart?
This initiative does nothing to solve traffic- it is just targeted at excluding one type of business from coming to Ventura - a business that will actually give Ventura consumers choice and some competition. In these tough economic times, the last thing we need to do is stifle competition in the market place and add to the already high price of groceries.
It seems un-American to me to design a policy that targets only one type of business.
RE: If passed by the voters, the initiative would prevent a store of 90,000 square feet or more which sells nontaxable items like groceries on more than 3 percent of its floor space. The measure also forbids "piece-mealing" -- making an existing smaller store larger to create a Super Store.
Will this law apply to government, too....everything they do is non-taxable...we are going to have to close down ventura county govwernment ...if this idiot law passes....
This has to be the No. 1 stupidist thing that has ever come out of Ventura (at least as long as I've lived here and I've been here 34 years). There are far more important things we need to be dealing with in this city. Namely, climbing crime rates, gang activity, deteriorating streets and water/sewer pipes. Out of control City fees.
Let Wal-Mart build their friggin' store here already! If it's a bad thing for the community, the store will fail and shutter its doors. Let the people decide, not a bunch of wacked-out/NIMBY-minded do-gooders. I say we pack these people up into a huge tour bus and ship them up to Ojai where they can live in peace with all the other wackos.
Leave the rest of us alone with the shopping alternatives we deserve!
My cousin in another state does medical clinics for Walmart employees. She had a woman drive four hours from another city to attend a clinic. Why? Because the store she works at doesn't have these clinics and she can't afford health insurance. Why doesn't she have health insurance? Because Walmart purposely put her hours at 34 a week to avoid paying paying benefits even though she's an assistant manager.
This is what keeps your toilet paper so cheap. Always the low price. Always. Always screw the employees. Always.
RE: Dopey law...you didn't read close enough....they don't want it because they sale a lot of non-taxable item.....meaning less money to flow into the Ventura County county money sewer
Looks like you again refuse to even admit the arguments against WalMart are not all from union members. I am therefore going to replace WalMart with strip club.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
By Flamo on August 7, 2008 11:13 PM
As I've stated previously, this is all about a group of elitist, pro-union activists , who are trying to prevent Venturans from having more adult entertainment choices, interfering with the free market system, making it harder for low income people in the community, depriving students and seniors of job opportunities as strippers, and depriving the City of important sales tax revenue to support important services (like lap dances).
Need I say more? I hope the good people of Ventura pick up on this and vote this thing down. It's not good for our town.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I don't really care if Ventura gets a WalMart but stop trying to say that in a democracy we cannot use the ballot box to determine our collective future.
I also resent people that won't even argue that WalMart has fair business practices. I am not attacking them, but try at least to analyze the issues before attacking your opponents integrity.
In my view, the ballot box was intended to address social issues that affect society on a much broader level.
To me, allowing a Wal-Mart store to come into a community is strictly a business/free market issue. We already have local planning and building regulations that deal with new development projects. We have an adopted General Plan that included broad participation in its formation by various stakeholders, neighborhood groups, business groups, schools, citizens-at-large, etc.
I don't believe this should be decided at the ballot box. As it stands, Wal-Mart has a legal right to re-occupy the K-Mart building on Victoria, as long as it doesn't exceed 100,000 square feet. I feel they should be allowed to do this, at a minimum, since it complies with all the City's planning & building requirements.
Your introduction of a strip club as a comparison is a red herring and has nothing to do with Wal-Mart whatsoever. It's a ludicrous comparison that no one is taking seriously on this thread.
I support Wal-Mart but I do like the strip club as a good comparison. A lot of people have issues with Wal-Mart and I would say so don't shop there. But the strip club analogy has merit - we legislate their locations to death. Wal-Mart is equally offensive to some, and not offensive to others. I wouldn't shop there but alot of people would. The Trader Joe's is very busy and I know it is the prices as well as the selection.
We don't need another store full of cheap junk. We have too many already.
Speak for yourself, my friend. Wal-Mart has a lot of good products at low prices that many in this community would very much appreciate. Stop being an elitist!
Mongo is right on this one. Replace the retail clerks with self check out lines or robots and let Walmart sell its products and employ more than one million Americans. China has more freedoms than when we turn our back on Democracy and try to keep an American corporation, in good standing, out of a particular community. Ventura residents should be ashamed of themselves.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
By Speak for Yourself on August 11, 2008 5:18 PM
Speak for yourself, my friend. Strip Clubs have a lot of good products at low prices that many in this community would very much appreciate. Stop being an elitist!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Strippers! appears to be of the juvenile persuasion, wouldn't you say?
I agree with you.
But seriously, many people oppose WalMart because of its business practices. They help their employees apply for government assistance because they pay so little.
As long as you keep yelling about the free market without addressing the problems WalMart brings I will keep pointing out that democracy is a valid way of choosing what our communities allow and don't allow to take place locally.
The prices are low because someone else is paying them. In this case, all of us subsidize some of WalMart's workers through welfare programs.
Strippers, you've been swinging around the pole to long and must be dizzy. Your idea of Walmart employees being on welfare is nuts. Why would Walmart employees be on welfare any more than anyone working at a minimum wage job; especially since Walmart doesn't pay minimum wage? How about driving out 70% of the businesses in town that do pay minimum wage while you are at it? Next time you go to Vons or Ralphs and pay 30% more than at a non-union store, be happy with yourself because you are paying the salaries of all the union execs. It should make you feel good about yourself. It will raise your self esteem. I'm feeling good just thinking about it. Then, when you feel real good, go back to the strip club and spin around on that bar until you get dizzy again.
Surf's up. Marie, see you at the pier in the morning.
Hey, Moondoggie,
We've been surfing up the coast more lately. Better breaks. See you soon. Tell Gidget hi and let her know I'll spring for the surf wax next time.
:-)
What store in Simi Valley is 30% less than Ralph's because they don't use union labor?
I didn't make up the Walmart sheet I linked to, it was from Fortune Magazine, which is not known for communist infiltration!
Check out Valley Produce and John's Market. Everything from deli, meat and produce are 30% less or more. Those markets are always full while Ralphs and Vons are usually empty. Vons, in fact, recently closed one store in Simi Valley.
Strippers!,
You should listen to reason, my friend. CAP-812 makes some real good points.
I predict this measure is going to have a much more difficult time passing than its supporters claim. Wait until the Chamber and the business community come out against it in a big way as well as several City Council candidates that are chomping at the bit.
Corporate greed:
"My cousin in another state does medical clinics for Walmart employees. She had a woman drive four hours from another city to attend a clinic. Why? Because the store she works at doesn't have these clinics and she can't afford health insurance. Why doesn't she have health insurance? Because Walmart purposely put her hours at 34 a week to avoid paying paying benefits even though she's an assistant manager.
This is what keeps your toilet paper so cheap. Always the low price. Always. Always screw the employees. Always."
And did your cousin ask this employee why she stays at such a lousy job?
Is this employee chained to her position at Wal*Mart?
It seems that this argument comes up all the time. Wal*Mart purposely schedules employees hours at less than full time to avoid paying paying benefits.
Guess what people.... there are other jobs out there for those who want a 'career' in retail. Also, how many other retail establishments do the exact same thing? For those who want part time work, then that's what they get. If this employee that your cousin is talking about can't find another retail position as an assistant manager, maybe this employee isn't qualified. If this employee is so disgusted with Wal*Mart why doesn't she leave?
Free will.
Choice.
Those are the key words here in America.
Good grief! Why don't the bloggers who have posted to this issue grow up? Name calling is a good strategy for the likes of the Bush Administration, but thinking smart folks are not fooled.
We don't want WalMart because they won't come in without changing the development plans already approved by the citizens and the City Council.
Any commercial enterprise coming to Victoria will pay same taxes to City and be a player in the commercial life of Ventura. Many small business owners are hip to the WalMart corporate model of slash initial prices (kill local business) hire part-time (avoid fair wages and taxes) advertise low prices (not always the actual fact in comparison studies) and call anyone who questions them un-democratic and many other less friendly names. We don't need to name call because facts and history bare this statement.
There is an article in today's Ventura County Star and another in today's Ventura County Reporter in strong opposition to the ballot measure banning Wal-Mart from Ventura. It seems the opposition is presenting some pretty good arguments - based on common sense and reality checking, as opposed to false and misleading hype by the supporters of the measure.
I read the pro-Wal-Mart article in the Reporter by Mike Gibson. Good for him. That will serve him well when he runs for City Council again. Everyone will vote for the guy who wants Wal-Mart here.
I read the article by Mike Gibson too. It was actually quite good. The one in The Star was a bit vitriolic, but Gibson made some excellent points. I'd vote for him again.
WAL MART erodes the US economy. Think about it.
I thought about and, no, it doesn't...
What about Big Box government in ventura.....traffic backs up on the freeway at the Victoria exit has government works pour into thier jobs at the County government complex on Victoria....
How many pieces of property do the County and City governments own which no longer produce property taxes....because government doesn't pay taxes.....??