Send this story Print this story

Adjust text size

Letters

Act now against Wal-Mart

Dear Editor,

Pleasanton Weekly's message (Jan. 27) to residents questioning the proposed Wal-Mart grocery at the Nob Hill site? "It'll be good for you, so sit down and shut up." When somebody says that, I smell a rat. A big Arkansas rat.

Until recently, Wal-Mart hid for months while submitting anonymous plans to the city. Wal-Mart then amended its plans to cleverly remove anything triggering a "design review" that allows public input. All crafted so that, crazily, this new Wal-Mart could get far less city scrutiny than your neighbor's room addition. Do good neighbors hide what they're doing?

This is not just about a few tenant improvements. No. Wal-Mart wants no questions about big impacts it could have on the city and issues like traffic, jobs, crime and noise. With predatory pricing, Wal-Mart will poach sales from our local Pleasanton stores, threaten existing local jobs, and advertise to attract hordes of out-of-towners Nob Hill never did. And, profits leave town for Arkansas. That's a "neighborhood" store?

Santa Rita traffic is terrible now. Southbound from I-580 and Dublin/Tassajara, how much worse will Wal-Mart customers spike traffic at Las Positas, Stoneridge and the dangerous, unprotected left turn at Navajo Court? Under Wal-Mart's secret approval method, we can't know, can't even ask about these and other impacts. Pleasanton residents must act now, before it's too late. Ask your City Council to move Wal-Mart out from the rat hole into the light of public view.

Tom Zengel