WOULD THIS BE GOOD FOR POWHATAN?
 
Wal-Mart Jobs Are Low-Wage and Low-Benefit
• In 2008, the average full time Associate (34 hours per week) earns $10.84 hourly for an annual income of
$19,165. That’s $2,000 below the Federal Poverty Line for a family of four.
• As of 2008, a full time Wal-Mart Associates earns 16% less than the average retail wage
• If an average full-time Wal-Mart employee chooses the least expensive family health insurance plan, they would have to spend over 20% of their income before the health insurance provided any reimbursement.
• In 21 of 23 states where data is available, Wal-Mart forces more employees to rely on taxpayer-funded health care than any other employer.
 
Wal-Mart Can Cost Taxpayers Money
• A 2004 study found that one Wal-Mart store cost tax payers $108,000/year for children’s health care and $42,000 per year for low income housing assistance—per store!
• Through a loophole in many state tax codes, Wal-Mart avoided paying $2.3 billion in state income taxes between 1999 and 2005 alone.
 
Wal-Mart Negatively Impacts Communities and Small-Businesses
• In Virginia, 60 cents of every dollar spent at a local store stays in that locality — compared to just six cents for every dollar spent at a big-box stores like Wal-Mart
• Studies in Iowa showed that some small towns lost up to 47% of their retail trade after 10 years of a Wal-Mart store moving in nearby in the mid 1990’s.
• In 2005, Wal-Mart real-estate manager Jeff Doss spoke about an oft-cited remark by company founder Sam Walton that Wal-Mart would not build stores in towns if the residents did not want them. “Were that the case,” he said, “we’d never build a store anywhere”.
• In towns without Wal-Marts that are close to towns with Wal-Marts, sales in general merchandise declined immediately after Wal-Mart stores opened. After ten years, sales declined by a cumulative 34%.
• Over the course of [a few years after Wal-Mart entered a community], retailers’ sales of apparel dropped 28% on average, hardware sales fell by 20%, and sales of specialty stores fell by 17%.
 
Wal-Mart Ties Up Traffic
• A 2004 study of estimated additional driving costs of Wal-Mart super centers in the San Francisco Bay area concluded that there would be up to an additional 238 million vehicle miles traveled per year.
• These extra miles traveled could cost communities in that area up $ 256 million in additional costs for infrastructure repair and environmental degradation.
 
Wal-Mart Harms the Environment
• In October 2004, the United States Federal Government sued Wal-Mart for violating the Clean Water Act in 9 states, calling for penalties of over $3 million and changes to its building codes.
• In May 2004, Wal-Mart agreed to pay the largest settlement for storm water violations in EPA history. The United States sued Wal-mart for violating the Clean Water Act in 9 states, calling for penalties of over $3.1 million and changes to Wal-Mart’s building practices.
• In 2004, Wal-Mart was fined $765,000 for violating Florida’s petroleum storage tank laws at its automobile service centers. Wal-Mart failed to register its fuel tanks, failed to install devices that prevent overflow, did not perform monthly monitoring, lacked current technologies, and blocked state inspectors.
 
REFERENCES
 
“The 2008 HHS Poverty Guidelines,” United States Department of Health and Human Services, 23 January 2008, http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/08poverty.shtml
 
“Table B-3. Average hourly and weekly earnings of production and nonsupervisory workers (1) on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector and selected industry detail,” Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2 May 2008, http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t16.htm
 
UFCW analysis of Wal-Mart health plan, March 2008
 
“Disclosures of Employers Whose Workers and Their Dependents are Using State Health Insurance Programs,” Good Jobs First, June 26, 2007
 
“Everyday Low Wages: The Hidden Price We All Pay for Wal-Mart,” A Report by the Democratic Staff of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 16 February 2004
 
“New Research Shows Wal-Mart Rigs the System to Skip Out on $2.3 Billion in State Taxes,” Citizens for Tax Justice, 4/16/07
Rocky Mountain Institute
 
David Meekle, Lebanon Daily News, 13 July 2005
 
Kenneth Stone at Iowa State University, “Impact of the Wal-Mart Phenomenon on Rural Communities,” 1997
 
“Supercenters and the Transformation of the Bay Area Grocery Industry: Issues, Trends, and Impacts,” Bay Area Economic Forum, January 2004
 
Supercenters and the Transformation of the Bay Area Grocery Industry: Issues, Trends, and Impacts. Bay Area Economic Forum
 
2004 Hartford Courant, 8/16/05
 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, May 12, 2004, U.S. v. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., 2004 WL 2370700
 
Associated Press, 11/18/04
 
 
 
THESE ARE JUST A FEW!! FOR MORE FACTS, VISIT http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/facts/

A lot of folks talk about the risk to local business.. but really.. since we are already within driving distance of other big box stores.. aren’t they already in competition with a walmart, lowes etc?  I mean..people are just driving the extra 20 minutes further to go to those stores..

What commerce/business entity do people want to see in Powhatan.. If not a Walmart.. WHAT type of business should there be?  Multiple Dumps like Cumberland?  More rock quarries?  A 3rd food lion?  Should we try for a business park like Innsbrook?  We can’t be blind to the fact that progress is going to come this way… so what should happen?

Invoke “The Brown Act.”

To PSB of Powhatan County ~ My hat is off to you! You have made a very good point about our county leaders destroying the very thing they promised to protect - our unique county. Ms. Cios is quoted as saying that they had the option of bringing this matter to the people, yet she chose to keep it secret. She supplied a letter to the No to Walmart group that was so full of half-truths and BS how can anyone take her or her staff seriously. I think we all need to seriously consider who we vote for in the next election and remember the lies that have already been told. Our so-called leaders have let us all down and they are only focused on the money aspect instead of protecting the “rural” enviroment that most of us love.

For all those that want the convenience of having a Walmart and everything else that comes with it, move to Chesterfield. You could live in one of those now defunct subdivisions that can be found between the two Walmarts on Hull Street…along with the other 10,000 people traveling the same road. Enjoy!

How can you all say that this will improve our tax base? Do you really believe that the sales tax generated will cover the increased use of emergency services that will include the hiring of additional deputies, dispatchers, etc.? What about the destruction of our roads due to the increased traffic…roads that are already in poor condition and the State can’t afford to repair. How many jobs will be gained in comparision to those lost due to the closing of our local businesses…with most of the owners of these businesses being residents. How many empty buildings will we have after our small businesses have closed their doors? Are all of you that want this store going to be out on Rt. 60 picking up the increased amount of trash??? What about the increased noise and air pollution. Walmart is NOT a good neighbor and for all those that want this thing I challenge you to take a ride to Hull Street and just look at the chaos!

Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it and then some!!!!

I am glad to see Walmart and hope that Lowes comes next. They do hold prices down and they have to be built somewhere. I am glad it is not another large bank being built. They are just alike in the fact that with all the lines they have only a couple will ever be open.

I still welcome a Walmart being built in Powhatan County.  After having discussed this with several people, they suggested the Walmart be built a little farther west, between the 2 Food Lions.  That would be fine with me, and probably for the residents in the western half of the county and for Cumberland residents as well. Which business along Rt.60 will be forced to close? In many cases, it may improve their business exposure, e.g. restuarants, banks, and gas stations.

I’m a little late in following up with some of these comments, but just noticing cb’s comment about mine and I’m not sure I understand how I am a creeping vine.  I’m all for business’s coming to Powhatan. I think there should be incentives to bring in smaller more personable businesses.  I’d love to get up on a Saturday and drive a few minutes vs. 20-25 minutes to shop for clothes, shoes, gifts etc.  I’d love to see these smaller shopping areas in Powhatan full of these stores and other businesses that would keep the citizens shopping local and drawing in others from other counties.  And I agree with CB Walmart is just not the answer.

Who said you get to vote? The developers have already got this straight with our county government. We don’t run this county, they do. All this hot air just contributes to global warming.

Sorry Seniorcitizenlover, I’m not moving.  I’ll stay to vote for Wal-Mart and Lowes.