SPEAKING OUT IN YUCCA VALLEY, CA

What a sad day for Yucca Valley as it appears that the Wal-Mart Supercenter is a go. Kudos to Council Member Lori Herbel for taking time to actually review the Environmental Impact Report, and for being the lone voice of reason and common sense. Shame on the four council members who completely ignored the EIR and blindly voted in favor of the project. Why waste money on an EIR if you’re going to ignore it?

The council members in question are drinking the Wal-Mart Corporate Koolaid filled with empty promise and dollars. These four should be remembered for this blunder and then voted out of office in the next election.

I have done a lot of traveling across this nation and have seen first-hand what happens to the typical small town when the Supercenter moves in. Yes, they will create 150 new minimum-wage part-time jobs. But when Stater Bros. and Vons or Food For Less close, we will lose that many good-paying jobs. Is that better for the community?

And what happens to other small, family-owned business? Some of them will disappear as well. You will see empty buildings large and small with prospective tenants and businesses not willing to move in and compete against the giant.

Eventually Wal-Mart is the only place in town left to work and shop. Increased revenue and benefits to the community? I’m thinking NOT!

Wal-Mart claims to offer many different medical programs for its employees, but they fail to tell you that the employee pays for his/her own insurance. Wal-Mart recommends that its employees use the emergency room as their personal doctor when they need to see one. Thus the taxpayers pick up the tab for the employees’ medical benefits.

Posted by Joel Nezianya on Wednesday, July 02, 2008