Your Letters to the Editors

Austin Chronicle

July 11, 2003:

There Goes the Neighborhood
Dear Editor:

Every so often our business community makes a corporate decision to develop an area that is inappropriate and which contains a variety of absolutely negative impacts upon the citizens of that area. Such is the plan to construct a 24-hour Wal-Mart Supercenter accessible only via neighborhood streets at MoPac and Davis Lane and Slaughter and a neighborhood drive in southwest Austin. The citizens in this area are almost unanimously opposed to locating this facility and are committed to work against the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter in this neighborhood area.

Ken Rigsbee, director
Circle C Homeowners Association

Wal-Mart's Takeover
Editor:

I just returned home from the Wal-Mart meeting in Southwest Austin. For those of you who live in other areas of Austin, you should know that the Wal-Mart representative (Daphne Moore) said that Wal-Mart plans to saturate the Austin market by building a store every three miles in the city! So for those of you who live elsewhere and think your sleepy residential neighborhood is safe ... think again! Help us fight our fight and we will be there to help you when they want to build in your backyard. www.noaquiferbigbox.com.

Heather Pipkin

July 18, 2003:

No to Wal-Mart
Dear Editor,

As a recent transplant to Austin, in particular to the southwest corridor, I was shocked to learn that Wal-Mart is planning a superstore near my new neighborhood ["Battle of the Big Box," July 11]. Never mind that there is already a Wal-Mart four miles down the road. But consider these quotes from a June 30 article from reporter Ruth Rosen of the San Francisco Chronicle (www.sfgate.com):

"Wal-Mart's nonunion, big-box stores drag down other workers' salaries, destroy downtown businesses, prevent smart-growth development and increase traffic congestion. What really surprised me though is that we, the taxpayers, end up subsidizing Wal-Mart stores by paying for the health and retirement needs of its workers.

"'It [Wal-Mart] not only pays workers less than most of its retail competitors, two-thirds of workers don't have health-care coverage -- a cost taxpayers are picking up across the country' [according to United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1179 President Barbara Carpenter]."

Please help us fight the good fight against this behemoth. Contact: www.notowalmart.org or www.noaquiferbigbox.com. We need your help.

Thanks!!!

Georgia Wong

Back Against the Wal-Mart
Editor:

Here's an idea: Whole Foods/local stores drop prices a teeny bit, Austinites boycott Wal-Marts, more Austinites shop Whole Foods/local stores (and more than make up the difference for cutting prices), and we are happy. I want to throw up at the thought that a Wal-Mart Supercenter wants to plant itself in my back yard (MoPac/Davis). I'll gladly drive over to Lamar and Sixth for my grocery and personal needs if it's more accommodating to my budget, and if it means Wal-Mart stops invading the pretty green corners in Austin. Booooo, Wal-Mart!

Lisa Rios

July 25, 2003:

Respect the SOS Ordinance
Dear Editor,

Lauri Apple's July 11th article ("Battle of the Big Box") accurately represents the widely attended town hall meeting regarding the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter over the Barton Springs Recharge Zone at South MoPac and Slaughter Lane, and the burgeoning coalition of neighbors and environmentalists united to keep the world's largest retailer from building a new store where the community overwhelmingly does not want one.

One clarification is needed. Apple writes that Council Member Daryl Slusher compared locally based developers Endeavor "unfavorably to Stratus Properties and even Gary Bradley, both of whom, Slusher noted, had agreed to abide by SOS [Ordinance]." We agree with Slusher's critique of Endeavor, but the City Council permitted both Bradley and Stratus to exceed the on-site impervious cover limits of the SOS Ordinance on certain tracts while leaving less developable and marketable tracts at or under SOS impervious cover standards.

As the 11th anniversary of the voter approved Save Our Springs Ordinance approaches (Aug. 8), Barton Springs and neighbors are threatened with the proposed Wal-Mart and a proposed Lowe's that both drastically exceed the 15% impervious cover limit mandated by the SOS Ordinance.

We call on Wal-Mart and Lowe's to respect our community -- don't build in the Barton Springs watershed (your stores and parking lots generate polluted runoff and too much traffic). If you choose to build there, comply with the current law.

We are encouraged by public pronouncements by Mayor Will Wynn and Council Members Slusher and Brewster McCracken opposing the Wal-Mart over the aquifer. We ask the City Council to enforce the SOS Ordinance in full on the proposed Lowe's property and prevent the proliferation of big-box stores over the state's most vulnerable watershed -- the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer. To get involved, visit www.noaquiferbigbox.com.

Sincerely,

Colin Clark
Save Our Springs Alliance

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Austin American Statesman

July 8, 2003:

Keep Wal-Mart away
Every so often, our business community makes a corporate decision to develop in an area that is inappropriate and that contains a variety of negative effects on the citizens of that area (July 3 news brief, "Opposition to new Wal-Mart "). Such is the plan to construct a 24-hour Wal-Mart SuperCenter, accessible only via neighborhood streets at MoPac Boulevard and Davis Lane in Southwest Austin.

The citizens of this area are overwhelmingly opposed to this facility being built in the proposed neighborhood. Therefore, we must oppose such a facility, and are committed to working against the proposed Wal-Mart SuperCenter in this neighborhood.

KEN RIGSBEE
Director
Circle C Homeowners Association
Austin

August 2, 2003:

Not good for Austin
Re: July 28 editorial, "A changed city means difficult budget choices":

The American-Statesman's endorsement of getting $500,000 in tax revenue from Wal-Mart and any other way we can get it reminds me of a church that turns to a robber's den. Sometimes priorities get confused and revenue isn't scrutinized as to the source and what is lost by taking the gain.

There is no shame in a city's citizens asking that its growth occur in a manner that protects resources and reflects priorities. It is noble. There is shame in giving up natural resources and long term assets in exchange for a quick fix. Building in accordance with Save Our Springs limits will still result in tax revenue, but maybe not from Wal-Mart.

Austin will survive this period of budget strife and Austin will once again be prosperous. There are many growth corridors still available in Austin. Trading precious land and water resources for tax revenue does not bode well for Austin in the long term.

BILL AKIN
Austin

August 3, 2003:

Opposed to Wal-Mart
I am bitterly opposed to the proposed Wal-Mart development at Slaughter Lane and MoPac Boulevard.

I'm sure the demographics that indicated that Wal-Mart would be successful at this location didn't take into consideration the thousands of residents who are opposed to it and will never shop there. I'm also sure that little or no consideration was given to the effect it would have on the Edwards Aquifer, traffic and noise and light pollution. Like thousand of others in the area, I chose to build my home in a quiet community, and I'm horrified that it will be changed forever with the Wal-Mart.

Finally, I'm appalled that the City of Austin approved such a poor development plan. What were they thinking? Did they even look beyond the tax revenue benefits?

It's not too late. Please don't do this to our community.

KEITH ROMEL
Austin