Quote of the Year

Our customers are waiting for us to get through these legal hurdles.We are not walking away from Pullman. It's a key market for us.

- Washington Wal-Mart Public Affairs Manager Jennifer Holder as quoted in the November 27 issue of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News

An anonymous PARDner wrote in a comment on the Daily News website that "Holder must not read her e-mail."

Let's take a look at PARD's vaunted 10,000 signature petition as Wal-Mart sees it:

10,000 signatures equals 4,000 signatures from people who actually LIVE in Pullman equals 771 votes for anti-Wal-Mart candidates in the 2005 city council election equals 75 SEPA comments equals zero members of the city council, zero mayors, zero big-box bans, zero store size caps, zero living wage ordinances, zero dark store ordinances AND ZERO POLITICAL POWER.

Meanwhile, Wal-Mart sent out a mail survey in March 2005 to the roughly 7500 permanent residents of Pullman. 4000 people responded indicating support for the proposed Supercenter. Wal-Mart also contacted more than 1000 registered Pullman businesses, and an even larger majority expressed support. I have the results of that survey in my possession. The list contains the names of some of the most prominent citizens of Pullman.

In addition, I have been contacted by literally hundreds of people over the past three years, by phone, by e-mail, and in person at my place of employment or as I just walk around town. They all tell me they want Wal-Mart and ask when is it going to open. I make sure Wal-Mart knows all about this, in addition to forwarding them things like the petition from the seniors who live at Pioneer Square Apartments. And I told Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott and the Vice President of Wal-Mart Real Estate face-to-face that the majority of Pullman residents want Wal-Mart.

Sorry PARDners. When you are out grocery shopping at the Co-Op, attending an English Department faculty meeting, going to a Barack Obama Meet Up or phone banking for the Whitman County Democrats, you are NOT hearing the voice of the majority. Don't presume to speak for us.

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