REDLANDS, CA REMAINS UNITED AGAINST WAL-MART

‘Neighbors’ seek ballot initiative [Redlands Daily Facts (Calif.)]

The Good Neighbor Coalition is seeking to propose a ballot initiative to keep a Super Wal-Mart from being built in Redlands.

The coalition, which has tasked itself with keeping the Wal-Mart store from being built, spoke Wednesday about proposing a ballot initiative to limit the size of box stores like Wal-Mart. The concept is young - the coalition has not yet specified the size they’d like to see such stores limited to.

The coalition arranged a private meeting to be held on July 15 to decide the box-style store limit to be specified in the ballot initiative.

Coalition member Dorene Isenberg said the number would likely be between 90,000 and 100,000 square feet. The Super Wal-Mart planned for Redlands would be 232,000 square feet if it were built.

By trying to cut down on the size of big box stores like Wal-Mart, the coalition is trying to protect local businesses that would have to compete.

“We’re concerned about the effect on local grocery stores,” coalition member Dianne Landeros said. “The Super Wal-Mart could have a really devastating effect on them.”

Isenberg also said the Super Wal-Mart could “kill off” union jobs that grocery stores such as Stater Bros. or Vons offer. Landeros emphasized that the coalition not only wants to save union jobs, but also non-union jobs that pay well. Landeros said Wal-Mart offers its employees neither.

“One of our problems with Wal-Mart is that they pay very low wages and they don’t provide their employees with very good benefits,” Landeros said. “Those aren’t the kinds of business we want coming into Redlands.”

The coalition’s resolve to propose the ballot initiative would thrust the group into new territory as they seek to find ways to keep the Super Wal-Mart from putting down roots.

“Doing a ballot initiative that will be against big boxes takes us to another level,” Isenberg said. “It’s something that is going to require an incredible amount of energy.”

Coalition member Laura Palmer said she is researching the environmental impact report for the Super Wal-Mart along with the survey information accompanying the North Redlands Revitalization Project. Palmer said the documents she is researching provide a vast amount of information to the coalition regarding their plans to keep Wal-Mart out of the north side of town.

“We have a lot of avenues for attack,” she said.

Palmer said the initiative would need confirmed signatures from 6,000 registered voters from Redlands.

“The date and the deadline, we think, is Aug. 8 to get the whole thing together properly,” Palmer said.

Palmer said the initiative could also be pushed through via a special election.

“That’s more likely,” Landeros said.

The coalition will present the conditions of the initiative during its July 16 meeting.