Wal-Mart in Cedar Mill?

WalmartThere's been a fight going for months over a proposed Wal-Mart store in Cedar Mill - the first Wal-Mart on the west side of the Portland metro area. The folks from Save Cedar Mill have been organizing and making their case.

Now comes word that at high noon on Monday, representatives from Wal-Mart have agreed to debate Save Cedar Mill in a public forum: The Washington County Public Affairs Forum.

In one corner: Eric Bergman, Director of Community Affairs, Wal-Mart Inc. In the other corner: Steve Kaufman, Save Cedar Mill. Event details are here.

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    Don't just glance at the "event details" link. The top line says that the forum meets at Saylor's Old Country Kitchen, which no longer exists. If you read to the bottom of the page you will see the new (just as classy as the old) location:

    Beaverton Elks Club 3500 SW 104th Avenue Beaverton, Oregon 97005-1941

  • scott (unverified)
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    Hey! good luck to the Save Cedar Mill folks. We have a rezoning initiative on our ballot this Tuesday, and we're fighting it too!

  • Pedro (unverified)
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    Please don't forget the Walmart being planned for the Sellwood/Moreland/Milwaukie area.

  • Gary Olson (unverified)
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    Suzanne,

    Thanks for the correction on the forum not meeting at Saylers anymore.

    I thought I'd caught all the references to Sayers on the forum web site, but see I missed that one.

    It is now corrected.

    Thanks again.

    Gary Olson Webmaster - washingtoncountyforum.org

  • Sid Leader (unverified)
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    What's funnier than a bunch of west-side MILLIONAIRES fighting over that last 99 cent pack of thin, coarse Wally-Mart toilet paper?

    My brother and sister-in-law are worth a FORTUNE, living in a $2,000,000 split-level house in suburban Chicago and they go to Wal-Mart like twice a day to check on the sales.

    How sad, for all of us.

  • Sid Leader (unverified)
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    What's funnier than a bunch of west-side MILLIONAIRES fighting over that last 99 cent pack of thin, coarse Wally-Mart toilet paper?

    My brother and sister-in-law are worth a FORTUNE, living in a $2,000,000 split-level house in suburban Chicago and they go to Wal-Mart like twice a day to check on the sales.

    How sad, for all of us.

  • Becky (unverified)
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    I'll admit to having been a joyful Wal-Mart shopper for some time now (I love a good deal). But the more I learn about what that means in the bigger picture the less I can feel at all good about making that choice.

    Here's something I think is pretty interesting and relevant to the Wal-Mart debate considering how many existing businesses have been forced to close following the siting of a Wal-Mart nearby:

    The Washington, DC-based Real Estate Services Group conducted a study in 1989 based on surveys in more than 400 communities which faced economic decline as retail business was drawn away from existing buildings. They concluded that the annual indirect cost to a community of just one vacant 4,000 s.f. two-story downtown commercial building was almost $250,000 (in current dollars, the cost would be much higher):

    $195,125 in indirect retail sales $15,000 in salaries $6,000 in rents $625 in property taxes $5,600 in business profits $4,750 in bank deposits $3,400 in utility collections $13,414 in loan demand $2,000 in advertising revenues

    And that, of course, is in addition to taxpayers picking up health care, food stamps, etc. for the underpaid Wal-Mart workers and the costs that have to occur when domestic Wal-Mart suppliers are strong-armed into accepting ever-smaller profits on their products.

  • Jon (unverified)
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    And that, of course, is in addition to taxpayers picking up health care, food stamps, etc. for the underpaid Wal-Mart workers

    $10-$15/hr is underpaid for a retail job? I really doubt they can get any state aid if they have a job, even at min. wage. When I was on unemployment, I did not qualify for those state aid programs. My income was too high. I couldnt get my kids on the Oregon Health Plan, or even the free/reduced lunch program at school for that matter.

    Is anyone fighting to stop the Kohl's in Beaverton? Isnt it also an evil, capitalist, "big-box" store too? And I am sure the workers there are not making any more than those at Walmart. (or any other retail job).

    With the highest unemployment in the country, one would think several hundred new jobs (for one store location) in the area would be wanted.

    and the costs that have to occur when domestic Wal-Mart suppliers are strong-armed into accepting ever-smaller profits on their products.

    Thats called the "market". They dont HAVE to sell their products to Walmart.

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