From Crains:With Walmart officials making it clear they intend to open stores in the five boroughs, the City Council has scheduled a hearing next month to review the impact the mega-retailer would have on small business and communities across the city.
The hearing, set for Dec. 14, has been titled “When Wal-Mart Comes to Town” and will offer a “historical and prospective view” of the Arkansas retail giant's impact, according to a Council notice. It will be a joint hearing of the Small Business, Community Development and the Economic Development committees.
“We're excited to have this hearing and get all the information out in the open so it can be debated,” said Bennett Baruch, deputy chief of staff to Councilwoman Diana Reyna, D-Brooklyn, who chairs the Small Business Committee.
The Council has historically opposed Walmart, largely because many of its members rely heavily on support from organized labor, which is worried that the retail giant would eat into the market share of unionized grocers should it enter the New York City market.
But after earlier defeats in Queens and on Staten Island, the retailer has grown more sophisticated in its approach and is now looking at as-of-right sights that would not require Council approval. One such location, the Gateway II complex in East New York, Brooklyn, already received its land-use approval.
30 comments:
As usual, it's all about the money. City Council members are afraid their union money will dry up. Too bad. For once they should do what is best for the people. We are in a recession. People would welcome Walmart because their prices are low. What ever happened to free enterprise?
THIS WILL BE THE FINAL NAIL IN THE COFFIN. GET READY TO SAY GOODBYE FOREVER TO THE NEW YORK WE GREW UP WITH - THE NEW YORK ROMANTICIZED IN 20TH CENTURY FILM, ART, AND LITERATURE. FUNNY HOW THE PEOPLE ATTRACTED HERE BY ALL THAT ARE THE ONES WHO WOULD ULTIMATELY DESTROY IT.
We already have Target, which now has a fresh and frozen food section, similar to Walmart. Target like Walmart also does not have or allow unionized workers... so we basically already have a Walmart type store, just a different name.
All these people in fear of Walmart, it's already here, it's Target. Stop making a big deal over nothing.
Walmart was good enough for the democrats U.S Senatorial seat voted in a few years ago in N.Y.S. i recall her name was HILLARY CLINTON and she was on the Walmart Board of Directors in Arkansas.
The landlords have already pushed out small businesses, During this recession (depression?) they have been doubling and trippling rents.
LAND OF THE GREED
"All these people in fear of Walmart, it's already here, it's Target."
yes - it is already here - it's called fascism.
"her name was HILLARY CLINTON and she was on the Walmart Board of Directors in Arkansas."
Good point - it was one of the reasons why those left of center (like myself) voted for Obama.
Don't compare Wal-Mart to Target. Wal-Mart treats its employees much worse.
Check out www.wakeupwalmart.com
Here's some info...
The truth is that Wal-Mart has let America down by lowering wages, forcing good paying American jobs overseas, and cutting costs with total disregard for the values that have made this nation great. Wal-Mart has needlessly exploited illegal immigrants, faces the largest gender discrimination lawsuit in history, forced workers to work in an unsafe environment, and broken child labor laws...
Boycott Wal-Mart!
You can't keep out a store because of differing polictics. You also can't let in businesses on a selective basis - it's not competitive. Walmart will be entering NYC like or not. In fact I travel to Nassau to shop at Walmart and other stores not in Queens. Others in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island are doing the very same things, saving on the basics and getting a wide selection of goods. Our tax revenue should sty in NYC not go to Nassau or New Jersey and Westchester/Putnum it's absurd!
It's like Home Depot years ago that could not enter NYC, then they did and there are now more hardware stores than ever because businesses find ways to compete against lousy stores such as Home Depot!
Count me in for that!!! Maybe a demonstration or two also is in order . . . ? NOT that it will stop the growing empire from moving in - BUT we certainly can let them know what we think of them.
Also - they were OPEN on Thanksgiving Day (as were a couple of other stores) in direct DEFIANCE of Federal Law.
"now more hardware stores than ever"
what planet is this hardware store heaven on?
You have to be crazy to step into a Walmart, its all coughing and sneezing Mexican and Guatemalans buying cheap kids clothing and junk.
Make no doubt many have TB. Getting sick is not worth saving a couple bucks.
Quote "More hardware stores than ever"
Where, I don't see nothin worth a crap
I do see is "True Value" selling the same paint brand and overpriced Chinese garbage in blister packs.
Try buying a simple FS-4 florescent starter that lasts more then 2 months. It doesn't exist unless you truck to Hermann's Hardware in Glendale.
The prized gem of NYC Canal Hardware is now another fag boutique joint. I almost threw up on my last trip to Canal street. All the good old American surplus and junk stores are yuppie shit or franchise food staffed by Mexicans
WALMART WILL BE THE CHERRY ON THE CAKE. You can bet King Bloomberg will make it happen.
Just like home owners in Maspeth Bloomberg is HOSTILE to "pain in the neck" private or mom and pop business who don't play his game.
archie b:
a shining example of idiocy. nothing but racist bigotry to offer. how is that even relevant?
brian mcglaughlin the n.y.c. labor council and eletricians union #3, former president ,spearheaded a rally opposing the locating of a Walmart store in queens,a few years ago.
was he correct ? did you believe this convicted government liberal, democrat, thief, now sitting in prison for 12 years?
where are your brains?you even voted for him to represent us in the n.y.s.assembly. liberals are sick,sick,sick.
"All these people in fear of Walmart, it's already here, it's Target."
And before that was KMart, stupids
It never ceases to amaze me that the endless whining about WalMart never seems to stop. If you don't like it don't shop there. I took my grandchildren to WalMart today for Ravens jackets & hats. The prices were very low. Why complain when you have bargains galore out there? It's a free market and I have no complaints with that. End welfare! Death to the Palestinians! Long live Israel!
We are in a recession. People would welcome Walmart because their prices are low. What ever happened to free enterprise?
ASSHOLE TRANSPLANT
WALMART. THE RICH GET RICHER AND THE POOR GET FUCKED.
Fuck Walmart.
Fuck Bloomberg.
Fuck the City Council.
Anon: Whats Racist ?
Are the statements made not an accurate description of what goes on inside Wal-mart ?
Has "True Value" (China crap) NOT got its hands into almost every hardware store in the country ?
Id say both are accurate reflections. Queens New Yorkers tell it like it is, this aint F_~ng Denver or Montreal !
correction, joe.
not all queens new yorkers.
The unions know the national chains will do things by law and not hire illegal workers that hide under the "Union label" of the local retail unions. Other unions insure their membership is USA all the way especially the construction trades who have been hit hard by competing nonunion and illegal laborers of all stripes.
"The rich get richer and the poor get fucked." How so? End welfare! Death to the Palestinians! Long live Israel!
yes - it is already here - it's called fascism.
And, once again, providing us all with much needed comic relief - BLABS!!!
BLABS! Let's hear it for.....BLABS!!
You've never lived in an Eastern Bloc Communist country, and I'm about 99.9% certain that you didn't grow up in Cuba, North Korea, or Iran, so you can stop playing cute with the "fascism" metaphors.
If Wal-Mart is "fascism", I'm sure most North Koreans would love to be "oppressed" by all the consumer goods and humongous amount of fresh foods that "fascist" Wal-Mart stocks in it's stores.
Also - they were OPEN on Thanksgiving Day (as were a couple of other stores) in direct DEFIANCE of Federal Law.
Can you provide a source for that "Federal Law", or are you simply pulling words out of your orifice again?
why Id - Ithought you'd never ask:
what YOU THINK it is and what it IS of course is completely different. Google it idiot so you can make an educated statement on SOMETHING at least occasionally.
there real term would be neo - Fascist or a form of corporatism.
But in brief:
"Franklin D. Roosevelt in an April 29, 1938 message to Congress warned that the growth of private power could lead to fascism:
The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism—ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power."
wiki
is not F.D.R. the president who had communists in his cabinet. i think his vice-president ,Henry Wallace, was a communist.
and i read that Alger Hiss was a communist spy ,sitting at his ear, giving him counsel.
REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR, 12/7/1941....
my wife and her family were NAZI (NATIONAL DEMOCRAT SOCIALIST) Norwegian occupation prisoners for five years.
the communist U.S.S.R (UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST RUSSIA ), was an ally of the nazi's at the start of the war in Europe in 1939.
I used to be anti Walmart but now I want one because it is CHEAP and we are on hard economic times -- tough times call for tough measures -- BRING ON WALMART, (at Atlas Park!)
I really shouldn't get into a debate with a moron, but it's Friday, so let's have some fun playing dodge ball with the retard:
Franklin D. Roosevelt in an April 29, 1938 message to Congress warned that the growth of private power could lead to fascism:
So what?
Does drinking milk lead to heroin addiction?
Would you rather grant more power to the government? Who's the fascist now?
Also, note the word could. That doesn't mean necessarily that it does or will or directly causes fascism.
The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself.
Wal Mart had total revenue of $408 billion in 2009. Someone must be shopping in their stores.
Who do you think the average Wal Mart shopper fears more - the IRS, or the cashier at Wal Mart?
Who has more power in our lives - the guy who stocks the shelves at Wal Mart, or the TSA?
That, in its essence, is fascism—ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power."
Wal Mart owns the government?
You really should have paid attention during 9th grade mathematics classes when they reviewed logic tables.
And you still didn't provide a "source" for the "Federal Law" that says stores can't open on Thanksgiving.
NYC's Mayor and the City Council are against Walmart and are going out of their way to prevent this business from opening a store in NYC yet are FOR a mosque at Ground Zero where the "Imam" is pushing for Taxpayer money to fund it.
Target could use the competition and so could the supermarkets.
Target can use the competition - bwa hahahahahahhahhhhhhaaaaaa!!!
you are so stupid that it's really funny - there is NO difference between the two except that Walmart is bigger.
Also - Id - we have Federal and State Labor Laws in this country - I know you're from the "old country" but you should have been here long enough to understand SOMETHING!
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