by Maureen Barillaro in Development and Zoning, Economy & Poverty
Posted on July 29, 2011 at 9:55 pm
Last Modified on August 16, 2011 at 10:01 pm
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Dear Mayor Joe,
[sent today]
On behalf of Somerville Climate Action we want to express our grave concern with the possibility of Walmart descending upon Somerville. Being a city of only 4 square miles, we are not a location that needs an international big box corporation to get our groceries. Moreover, we have several affordable markets already, as well as numerous standard markets in locations throughout the city. We believe no one is more than a mile from a retail grocery store.
Somerville has the capacity and vibrant support to encourage more local and healthy food suppliers, as you have no doubt witnessed with the incredible (and gaining) support of the Farmers Markets. Fresh, local, healthy food is the cornerstone to a healthy population and absolutely critical for a sustainable future of food access. That the two forces could coexist in the same community (Walmart plus a commitment to sustainable food and local businesses) has historically proven to be illusionary; it’s like putting the wrong fish in the same tank. Although Walmart may provide access to some organic food- the majority of their products have little health value.
Walmart has a well documented history of incredibly unfair labor practices. We applaud you for bringing this up with them and hope you will stay strong and not be allured by promises of tax revenue. It is also well documented that corporate dollars do not stay in local towns and cities as they do from local businesses. Large corporations (especially Walmart) find ways to take advantage of tax loopholes wherever they can so cities cannot count on dollars promised vs. dollars delivered.
The horrendous impact of Walmarts throughout the world upon their employees and the surrounding community is manifold, highly well documented, and cannot be underestimated. For more information regarding Walmart’s negative impact and why we have so many concerns about them coming to Somerville you can read/listen to the novel, The Insecure American, available at the Somerville Public Library or watch the film, Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price.
Please do not succumb to Walmart’s vapid assurances and instead focus on bringing more sustainable, healthy, local, affordable food to our city. Someone has to draw a line in the sand against this monster corporation – why not Somerville? Let’s get heralded in the papers as “A City That Said NO to Walmart- and YES to the Future!
Sincerely,
Maureen Barillaro
Joseph Barillaro
Patricia Wild
Emily Hardt
David Anick
Courtney Koslow
Melissa Lowitz
Elizabeth Johnston
Susan Robbins
Charlie Rose
Jennifer Lawrence
Enid Kumin
Michael J. Monroe
Vanessa Rule
Eric Becker
Melissa McWhinney
Katherine F. Wheeler
David M. Guss
Teri Swartzel
Ellen Arnstein
Barry Rafkind
Felicitas Bidlack, Ph.D.
Manni Wood
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+!! I wish I could have signed this too. Somerville’s lack of Wal-Mart is one of the things that makes it a great city, and parasitic stores like Wal-Mart will breed other troubles and need to be kept out, period. -Marie H.
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To say nothing of their illegal (but never prosecuted) practice of selling below cost until they drive neighboring, law-abiding stores out of business. Even if they fancy up one store with (gasp!) fair wages and benefits for us anomalous Somervillians, they’re not a company we want getting even a toe in the door. I’m surprised Somerville Local First isn’t taking a more visible effort to oppose this huge roadblock to their attempts to keep Somerville’s business climate healthy.
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My main issue with the proposed market is its location. On Mystic Avenue on the other side of I-93, it will generate very little walk-in or bike-in traffic, and it’s not easy even to drive to it from most parts of Somerville. I’d be happy to see it move into the vacant Winter Hill Star Market location instead (though I’d much rather have another Market Basket instead).
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“As the government shrinks its spending, it’s worth noting that workers in low-wage jobs are often dependent on government programs even while they work. Wal-Mart, for instance, has long been criticized for relying on the government to make up the slack between its rock-bottom wages and what it actually takes for a person to survive.”
quoted from AlterNet: How Recession Is Hastening the Wal-Martization of America, by Sarah Jaffe-
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And even if this particular location succumbed to pressure to pay a living wage, employees of other Wal-Mart stores are still dependent on food pantries for at least some of their groceries, and Greater Boston Food Bank (which also supplies pantries in Somerville) is already stretched like never before. Wal-Mart is a drain on regional resources that are also used on a local level.
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It seems that the more vociferous Somerville residents are torn between a patronizing attempt to protect the ‘poor’ and their desire to keep plebeian activities at bay. I agree that a Market Basket [or dare I say Trader Joe's] would be better, but surely any affordable grocery store in the area is better than Stop and Shop or Shaws. The Circuit City site needs to be occupied asap IMHO and could be temporary until Assembly Sq., is completed in 20 years or so. At least Walmart offers a level of authenticity, something that will be sadly lacking in the future neighborhood.
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