Editorial on Wal-Mart coming to Tehachapi - interesting info on cost

[The Straight Story]

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by Eric W. Jepson

Tehachapi News Interim Editor

About six months ago in private conversation with some public officials, I was told that there is no legal way to stop big box stores from coming to Tehachapi. Local government can influence how their arrival is handled, but to stop them? Can’t happen.

.....


Let’s ask Wal-Mart. According to the Web site dedicated to defending their honor, there are “people who simply don’t like us.”

By “people,” I think they mean “taxpayers.”

Here in California, for instance, taxpayers give $32 million for Wal-Mart employees’ health care and another $54 million for their school lunches and food stamps and whatnot (according to a 2004 study by U.C. Berkeley Labor Center).


http://www.tehachapinews.com/columns.html

[The Straight Story]

1. well I meant to put this in editorials....

My bad. Please spank me :)

[joneschick]

2. ok

I'm checking back later to see if you got that MUCH needed spanking. (good luck)

[napi21]

3. I don't know how things work there, but in the other towns where

WM has tried to got the OK to build, the town council, or a similar body, has to approve rezoning. Here in Ga. 3 towns that I know of have refused because the residents were so much against WM.

I don't have any numbers to cite, but I do know that it is mandatory, under Ga. law, that all children must be covered by health insurance. If a parent cannot afford to pay the premium, the State picks up the tab. It's called Peach Care. Almost all WM employees who are not in management have their children enrolled in Peach Care, thus WM is costing the State of Ga. a lot of $$ because they simply don't pay their employees enough to pay for necessities.