Just a friendly reminder!!!

The Central California Band Review is coming up!!!! November 8th is the date so circle your calendars and bring the lawnchairs and kids. Remember afterwards Golden Valley High School will host a football game AT the Golden Valley campus so make it a day for the family and support the Cougars! The parade itself will follow the same route as last year. More information will be posted as the date draws near....

Letters to the Editor.....

The following Letters to the Editor are taken from recent editions of the Merced Sun Star about, you guessed it, Wal Mart:

Monday, Sep. 22, 2008
Letter: Hoping for better
Editor: Sam Walton founded Wal-Mart in 1962. His idea was to buy products in bulk at the lowest possible price so he could sell below his competition. In the United States, you can expect a Wal-Mart within 60 miles.

This has allowed Wal-Mart to absorb an average of 20 percent of the competition wherever it opens a store.

In small towns it can be as much as 50 percent. The middleman is eliminated because Walmart can sell to retailers below wholesale. Wal-Mart refers to this as "fostering a healthy competitive environment."

Walton decided to cut his overhead by eliminating unions in his business so he wouldn't have to pay wage increases or negotiate for benefits.

What Wal-Mart lacks in moral integrity and ethical values it makes up for in money. In July, Wal-Mart showed $166 billion in sales this year. Currently, there is a lawsuit pending against Wal-Mart for discrimination against women.

Our City Council must decide the value of having a Wal-Mart distribution center in Merced.

Merced could lose higher-paying jobs than Wal-Mart can create with lower-paying jobs. We might lose more than we can regain -- our integrity.

JOAN PORTER

Merced


Letter: Wal-Mart will bring much-needed jobs
Editor: The Wal-Mart distribution center proposed for Merced will bring some badly needed jobs to this area where unemployment is historically high.

And such expansion is merely a part of growth, and cities like ours either grows or stagnates.

If the distribution center is not built here I believe it will be in either the county to our north or to our south, and we will still get the increased traffic, which appears to be the reason many people oppose the project.

LEE PIERCE

Merced


City Council and integrity are two words that don't usually come to mind together at least. Especially when it comes to a big donor like WalMart. As for Mr. Pierce's assumptions, I think he misses the point. Its not that most people don't want a distribution center in Merced, it's that most opponents don't want it so close to elementary schools. We would prefer the center further out away from our children. Does Mr. Pierce disagree with that?

Wal Mart subsidies

The following stats were provided by the web site Good Jobs First and although it comes as no surprise that Wal Mart uses subsidies, the amount of those subsidies was surprising:

LARGEST WAL-MART ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBSIDY DEALS IN EACH STATE
Note: Good Jobs First found deals in 38 of the 50 states; there are no Wal-Mart stores or distribution centers in the District of Columbia. Also note that complete information was not available on some deals. State City Facility Type Year Opened Value of Subsidy
AL Cullman distribution center 1983 more than $12 million
AR Clarksville distribution center 1993 more than $1.1 million
AZ Mesa Supercenter Fall 2007 up to $13.2 million
CA Porterville distribution center 1992 estimated $14 million
CO Westminster Supercenter 2007/2008 $5 million
DE Smyrna distribution center 2004 $4.1 million
FL Arcadia distribution center 2005 more than $23.8 million
GA Douglas distribution center 1987 more than $10 million
IA Mount Pleasant distribution center 1985 $10 million
IL Country Club Hills Supercenter 2006 $12.25 million
IN Gas City distribution center 2007 more than $6.4 million
KS W. Kansas City/Speedway Supercenter undetermined $29.1 million
KY Hopkinsville distribution center 2003 more than $15 million
LA Opelousas distribution center 1999 $33 million
MD Princess Anne distribution center undetermined Up to $12.5 million
ME Lewiston distribution center 2006 $16 million
MI Coldwater distribution center 2001 $2.4 million
MN Mankato distribution center undetermined $2 million
MO Kansas City (Blue Ridge Mall) Supercenter 2007 $26.75 million
MS New Albany distribution center 1996 about $11.5 million
NC Shelby distribution center 2002 at least $2.1 million
NE North Platte distribution center 2003 more than $15.2 million
NJ Audubon discount store 2005 $1.2 million
NM Los Lunas distribution center 1999 about $6.7 million
NY Sharon Springs distribution center 1995 estimated $46 million
OH Grove City distribution center 1992 $19 million
OK Ochelata (Bartlesville) dist center 2005 about $15.9 million
OR Hermiston distribution center 1998 about $2.5 million
PA Woodland distribution center 1993 $8 million
SC Pageland distribution center 1997 $28.2 million
TN Midway distribution center 1997 $5.4 million
TX New Braunfels distribution center 1989 estimated $20 million
UT Hurricane distribution center 1993 estimated $10 million
VA Mount Crawford distribution center 2006 $2.5 million
WA Grandview distribution center 2004 $1 million
WI Beaver Dam distribution center 2007 about $7.7 million
WV Nitro Supercenter 1998 $4.9 million
WY Cheyenne distribution center 2007 estimated $6.275 million

Interesting. The Porterville center was located in an enterprise zone, which made it eligible for state tax credits of up to $31,500 per employee. The exact value of the credits used was not available, but if we assume that credits were received for only one third of the 1,400 employees, the total would be about $14 million

Wal Mart Distribution Center

These drawings were taken from the staff report at the city council meeting. They are for the proposed Wal Mart Distribution Center.

City Staff Report

Here is the link for the staff report for council item regarding Wal Mart Distribution Center for those interested.

http://www.mercedstopwalmart.org/images/SWAT_PDFS/staffreport9152008.pdf

GVNA Meeting

September's meeting was attended by guest speaker Dave Sprinkel from the Merced Gateway Project. Mr. Sprinkel reported that progress is being made on the proposed shopping center on Gerard Ave. with Merced's leaders giving the project another serious look. Funding for additional work on the Campus Parkway has been recently approved and with the opening of the Target Superstore in Atwater, Merced City Council and City Staff have changed their attitude on the project and are trying to work with Gateway. While no tenants have been confirmed as of yet, Mr. Sprinkel was optimistic that once ground was broken, interested companies may start to look at Merced. There are still issues regarding city fees and final plan approval but the income generated and potential jobs for the citizens of Merced would benefit greatly.

In addition to the Merced Gateway Project and jobs, the subject of Wal-Mart's proposed distribution center once again came front and center. In reading between the lines of city officials and examining the current state of Merced's economic situation, the center MAY soon be approved. Issues such as air and noise pollution, truck traffic and the centers proximity to schools may have to take a backseat in order to provide for the 900 jobs WalMart promises as a benefit to the community. Of course exactly how many of those "900" jobs will actually go to Merced residents is still up for debate. If the city planning departments past record (i.e. the Grove Apartments) is any indication that number may not be as close to 900 as some would believe. At least not for Merced residents that is.

In more positive news Lee Pevsner reported that the Central California Band Review will take place November 8 along the same route as last year. Residents living in the Dinkey Creek area should make a note of this date as detours and road closures will be in effect with the review hours lasting from approximately 7:00 until around 1:00. Also, after the band review Golden Valley will play it's football game at Golden Valley High School's football field. It will be a great time to take the family out for a day of marching bands and a good old football game!

With the coming changing of the seasons now would also be a great time to plan a Neighborhood Watch Meeting. With many houses in foreclosure, meeting with your neighbors and planning a strategy to keep empty houses free from vandals and trespassers might be a good idea. If you'd like to plan a meeting you can leave a message at this blog and you will be contacted.