Letter: Wal-Mart drives economic growth

If anyone cares to take the time, try checking out Google Earth. Take a look at Green Valley, Ariz.

[Sam]

I agree, the ones in Boise and Rocklin a very nice. The one in Boise has 15 aisles of sporting goods, of which 4 alises have all kinds of firearms equipment, its excellent.

[Ted N]

Walmart superstores are awesome.

[Charles Kasey Kitterman]

I think part of our current economic problems are related to how this country has sold out good jobs and replaced them with Walmart type employment. I understand people want cheap goods, but many of our purchasing decisions come with a price. If this country actually manufactured products and Walmart sold them, then that would be different. The reality is many of the goods and the materials to make those goods, are foreign produced.

I guess our country has decided to become less and less in the name of free trade and free markets. Personally, it seems like a perversion. Anyways, it is probably too late to demand good jobs for every citizen and protection from foreign goods and services. I live a simple life, so it is no big deal to me.

[OurTown]

Most of the goods at WalMart are made in China.

I think it is interesting how the letter writer comments on how a new town just popped up--a better town in fact than what exists in the surrounding area. This is a good thing? How many new towns can we afford to build at the expense of our existing communities. By building new towns with wider streets our older communities don't magically disappear. They tend to become more blighted and run down.

I'd hate to look under the letter writers carpet!

[juanita sumner]

that's all speculation on your part Ms. Lowrie. Look at the area around Chico WalMart - new homes in every direction. But you don't think the people who work at WalMart live in those houses, do you? Guess again - they live in Gridley, Paradise, Willows - they drive miles to work here. WalMart doesn't provide the kind of wages you need to afford to live in Chico.

[juanita sumner]

Charles Kasey Kitterman wrote:

I think part of our current economic problems are related to how this country has sold out good jobs and replaced them with Walmart type employment. I understand people want cheap goods, but many of our purchasing decisions come with a price. If this country actually manufactured products and Walmart sold them, then that would be different. The reality is many of the goods and the materials to make those goods, are foreign produced.
I guess our country has decided to become less and less in the name of free trade and free markets. Personally, it seems like a perversion. Anyways, it is probably too late to demand good jobs for every citizen and protection from foreign goods and services. I live a simple life, so it is no big deal to me.

'

It's time to DEMAND more Charles. Your boat may have left the harbor, but some of us are raising kids and have paid the kind of taxes in this town that should have gotten us better schools and better economic development. We need to start demanding these things out of our city government, the only government we have any chance of reaching.

And that starts with Martha Westcoat-Andes, our "economic development director". The only job she has produced is her own, at over $120,000 a year. Here's an N&R editorial about that:

http://www.newsreview.com/chico/Content...

[northamerikan]

there is no way walmart wages will pay for a home. barely enough to pay the rent! walmart is for retirees who want a second income or just bored

[Tim Pro]

It's amazing how many people buy into, and then mindlessly parrot the union FUD about Wal-Mart.

[Ooops]

Funny, the writer seems to be attracted to by shiny new stuff. I'll take your older wellcared community anyday. When the sheen comes off those new communities you often find that they were built of cheap materials and will fall apart much faster than taking care of what is already in established communities. Plus we have simply overbuilt, there are plenty of these new communities with 50% foreclosure and higher --take a look at Florida. America has sold out for lots of cheap stuff rather than a few quality good things --------- storage units are flooded with it.

[erikras1981]

yeah sure they provide some jobs but minimum wage is not a living wage!, never has been never will be.

but then again thanks to the good ol boys network there will never be any living wage jobs in this area because it would interfere with the status quo that runs the show for us.

sit back northern California and go back to sleep!

[Joe Sixpack]

K-Mart's still in Paradise isn't it? Same as Wal-Mart, only cleaner and friendlier.

[Shane]

All praise Wal-Mart. All praise cheap crap.

Didn't we used to call places like the ignorant writer describes...company towns? What happens when these companies decide to leave because people and government don't bend to their wishes? Or when they go out of business? All other business has been driven out, so what do you do now? Company towns suck. If it looks like crap, smells like crap, and feels like crap...it must be cheap, plastic, Chinese manufactured by child labor CRAP.

Get a skill, get a job, get a family, buy a house, think global, and shop local. Screw Wal-mart!

[William Gainer]

It's pretty hard to become wealthy on $8 an hour. Don't you think that there might be some other source of income for the community? Strong, vibrant towns are not built with families dependent on minimum wage jobs with no benefits.

A funny thing about Wal-Mart... After they drive out all of their competition their prices start climbing. Go figure that one out...

[B P Davis]

juanita sumner wrote:

<quoted text>'
It's time to DEMAND more Charles. Your boat may have left the harbor, but some of us are raising kids and have paid the kind of taxes in this town that should have gotten us better schools and better economic development. We need to start demanding these things out of our city government, the only government we have any chance of reaching.
And that starts with Martha Westcoat-Andes, our "economic development director". The only job she has produced is her own, at over $120,000 a year. Here's an N&R editorial about that:
http://www.newsreview.com/chico/Content...

Once again, a typical Juanita rant. Any pretext at all in order to attack elements in city government that don't march to the Gestapo beat that Juanita approves of. If you aren't on the politcal right of Rush Limbaugh Juanita has it in for you...

[James Shane]

Tim Pro wrote:

It's amazing how many people buy into, and then mindlessly parrot the union FUD about Wal-Mart.

What a brainiac. I'm no union man, but it is plain to see what Wal-Mart is all about. Depressed wages, no benefits, no future.

Gee Mr Pro, do you think the unions really have it wrong? Why do you want people to have a sub-standard living?

[Charles Kasey Kitterman]

juanita sumner wrote:

<quoted text>'
It's time to DEMAND more Charles. Your boat may have left the harbor, but some of us are raising kids and have paid the kind of taxes in this town that should have gotten us better schools and better economic development. We need to start demanding these things out of our city government, the only government we have any chance of reaching.
And that starts with Martha Westcoat-Andes, our "economic development director". The only job she has produced is her own, at over $120,000 a year. Here's an N&R editorial about that:
http://www.newsreview.com/chico/Content...

I have always thought paying our elected officials high wages is a good idea, but they have to deliver. I just recently learned the President has to pay for his meals!

The problem with getting good jobs is not local, but global. I have shopped at Walmart, but it does adversely affect all classes of U.S. citizens.

Juanita, is it not possible it is people like the Waltons who are overpaid? I hear Costco's CEO takes home a modest salary. Just a thought.

[ZLB]

juanita sumner wrote:

<quoted text>'
It's time to DEMAND more Charles. Your boat may have left the harbor, but some of us are raising kids and have paid the kind of taxes in this town that should have gotten us better schools and better economic development. We need to start demanding these things out of our city government, the only government we have any chance of reaching.
And that starts with Martha Westcoat-Andes, our "economic development director". The only job she has produced is her own, at over $120,000 a year. Here's an N&R editorial about that:
http://www.newsreview.com/chico/Content...

Juanita,
You cannot expect to get qualified professionals to work in Butte County if you don't pay them a prevailing salary. You can't get something for nothing, there are no "good deals." If Ms. Wescoat-Andes is getting paid $125,000 per year in Butte County, it's because she is worth it. If we don't pay her, some place else will.
You repeatedly rant about the high salaries of government workers and demand to get more for your money than you deserve. The labor market is global not local. Just because you don't make big bucks doesn't mean other people shouldn't. You get paid what you are worth and so do they.

You can DEMAND all you want from your city government but they can only do what they can do. Your taxes are not that high. If you want more bang for your buck maybe you should run for office yourself and then you will see just how easy it is to be an elected official. You are ALL TALK and NO WALK Juanita. DO something different if you want different results. People like you never do anything though, you just complain and make life miserable for everyone around you.

[ZLB]

Tim Pro wrote:

It's amazing how many people buy into, and then mindlessly parrot the union FUD about Wal-Mart.

You are so ignorant, ignorance doesn't begin to describe your brain disease. STUPID!

[gamerjohn]

Look at Red Bluff. Walmart killed several other stores. Now it wants to abandon it current building and build a supercenter.

It is not just other stores that Walmart has killed. Walmart in conspiracy with its Chinese partners has killed the TV industry in the US. Walmart killed Rubbermaid and other long term American companies by forcing them to cut the price to compete with Chinese companies.

Lynn Lowrie, wake up and think before you spew to the paper. Investigate the situation or you will continue to make yourself look ignorant.

[slammin211s]

juanita sumner wrote:

that's all speculation on your part Ms. Lowrie. Look at the area around Chico WalMart - new homes in every direction. But you don't think the people who work at WalMart live in those houses, do you? Guess again - they live in Gridley, Paradise, Willows - they drive miles to work here. WalMart doesn't provide the kind of wages you need to afford to live in Chico.

I normally agree with what you say on here, but in this particular instance i must disagree. Walmart may not provide the kind of wages needed to afford to purchase a HOUSE in chico, but as far as just living, i would say that chico has some of the cheapest rents in the entire state, especially in shared living situations. Across the street from my parents house in Napa 2 bedroom apts that would go for around 600 to 650 / mo in chico rent for well over $1000.