PARD's Cost to Pullman So Far

Since PARD filed its Site Plan appeal last October, Pullman has lost $219,733.90 in sales and property tax revenues.

PARD MUST END ITS APPEALS NOW!!!

Fair and Balanced?

The Daily Evergreen is looking for feedback. News Editor Annette Ticknor said:

We, as student journalists, must ask ourselves daily: Is this important to the reader? Is this the best way to tell people of our community’s stories? Is this story accurate? Fair? Balanced?

And if you don’t see that, call us on it. These are standards you should hold us to as a newspaper.

Call me an idealist, but I think the sole purpose of the Evergreen is to provide members of our community with a diversity of ideas and information so readers can make informed decisions and converse about issues.

Here's what I told her:

I find it ironic that the same day that you run a column that says we in the community should expect accuracy and fair and diverse coverage, you did not run a letter to the editor from a WSU student ennumerating the benefits of Wal-Mart to Pullman that you PROMISED would be in today's edition. You chose instead to run a "Street Talk" piece about Wal-Mart that was mostly negative.

This is not surprising. Your story on the recent appeal hearing completely neglected to mention the results of the fiscal impact study, despite your paper being provided with a press release to that effect.

This is not the only letter to the editor that has been squashed. Two recent letters in support of Wal-Mart were never published either. Two vitriolic letters from Wal-Mart opponents, however, were published yesterday, despite the Evergreen's policy of focusing on issues not personal attacks.

This has been the Evergreen's policy since Wal-Mart announced plans to build in Pullman.

It is your right, of course, to take a strong anti-Wal-Mart stance. Just please spare us all the talk about free speech and journalistic integrity.

Is it any wonder that between the coverage in the Evergreen and the indoctrination from professors that students say "I hate Wal-Mart"?

Let Annette know how you feel at news@dailyevergreen.com

A Little Birdie Told Me

That Walgreen's is looking at the new Lowe's development.

The Palouse could definitely use a 24-hour full-service pharmacy.

Wal-Mart Grocery Stores

This is an article by Lea Thompson who is the Chief Consumer Correspondent for NBC News. This is a list of supermarket chains and their rankings for a survey conducted by Dateline.

The list

From the supermarket chain that kept things cleanest, to the one with the poorest performance in our survey, here’s Dateline’s "Supermarkets Sweep." This is a list where nobody wants to be number one. (From the fewest violations to the most):

10) Food Lion. The grocery chain that did best in our survey? Food Lion. For every 10 inspections, it averaged 8 critical violations: that’s less than one violation per inspection.

9) Wal-Mart and Save-a-Lot. Not far behind we had two chains tied for ninth place? Wal-Mart and Save-a-lot. Over 10 inspections both averaged 9 critical violations.

Save-a-Lot’s biggest problem, according to the inspection reports was selling food with expired labels or damaged packaging. While the chain did well in our survey, in one report from one Save-a-Lot in Eatonton, Georgia, a health inspector found 60 expired products for sale. Two months later, that number had doubled to 129.

As for the world’s largest retailer? Wal-Mart’s biggest problem in its grocery sections seemed to be keeping food at the right temperature. One of its stores had a real strange problem: birds, live ones. In Madison, Indiana, health inspectors told Wal-Mart it had to get rid of the birds flying around the store.

7) Costco and Sam's Club. Tied for seventh place, Costco and Sam’s Club. Both averaged 12 critical violations — that means a little more than one violation for each inspection.

According to health reports, Sam’s Club didn’t provide adequate hand washing facilities for its employees. Some sinks were broken. Others had no soap.

As for Costco, one of its Brooklyn stores was cited in 2004 for a rodent problem. We visited the store three times in the past year and every time found mouse traps. But the most common violation, one out of every five found by health inspectors involved temperature. On 56 occasions, in many different stores an inspector found food on sale that was stored in what’s known as the danger zone.

Nelken: The danger zone is the range of temperature from 41 to 135. And once you get in the middle of that, that’s where bacteria rages and reproduce.

5) Winn-Dixie. Next, as we go from fewest violations to the most, at number five is Winn-Dixie. For every 10 inspections, the chain had 14 critical violations and the stores received most of their citations for storing toxic chemicals such as cleaning supplies near food.

4) Kroger. With even more problems, at number four, Kroger— they an average 17 critical violations.

When Dateline paid the chain a visit in Sugarland, Texas we found a number of expired products: cheese and milk. But the problem health inspectors noted most often at Kroger was one we couldn’t see. On 91 different occasions, inspectors cited Kroger stores for having improper food equipment, such as dirty meat slicers.

Nelken: Every time we slice the food we’re passing that bacteria on to that slice of cheese or meat.

The next three chains had more problems than the rest of the pack in 2004. In fact, for every 10 inspections, each of them averaged more than 20 critical violations, that’s an average of more than two critical violations for each and every inspectors visit.

3) Publix, on average, had 22 critical violations. Dateline visited two stores in Florida and found flies crawling over the fruits and vegetables. But according to inspectors, the most frequent problem for the chain was the way it stored toxic chemicals.

2) Albertsons. For every 10 inspections, 24 critical violations. And a lot were for improperly stored toxic chemicals.

1) Safeway. Finally, in the spot no store wants to be number one in Dateline’s “Supermarket Sweep?” Safeway.

For every 10 inspections, Safeway stores received 25 critical violations— on average, two and a half critical violations for each inspection.

The biggest problem, according to inspectors? Temperature violations. For instance, “Dateline” recently found this Safeway in D.C. selling fried chicken that wasn’t hot enough to keep bacteria from growing. And over two visits, “Dateline” also found dirty floors, broken packages of meat, and the store itself in a state of disrepair with wires hanging from the ceiling of the produce section.

We should mention that 25 percent of the stores in our survey had no critical violations at all in 2004.

I thought this was very interesting in light of how many PARDners are concerned with what will happen to Safeway if a Super Wal-Mart opens in Pullman. Sounds like a competition for cleanliness to me.

An Open Letter to James Krueger

James, this is getting out of hand and your latest letter to the editor of the Daily Evergreen is an absolute insult. How dare you suggest that those of us supporting the freedom of consumers to decide for themselves somehow lack concern for social and personal responsibility. Let me ask you, James, what do you define as responsibility? What does it mean to care for “one’s fellow man?” Where do you draw the line? Where is your crusade over the low wages and lack of benefits for the hundreds of student employees working in Pullman? I haven’t heard it. Did I miss that letter to the editor? When did you come out to denounce the trade practices of Starbucks? The corruption and violence surrounding the petroleum products you put in your car? What about the plight of the produce harvesters? Do you eat fruits and vegetables, James? If I searched your cupboards, would I find only organic, fair-trade products?

We lack “sense and shame,” do we? Why should we be ashamed? We respect the legal process and the public input that went toward the development of the Comprehensive Plan that calls for commercial development on Bishop. We respect that consumers can make their own choices and shouldn’t have to be burdened and “shamed” by the supposed moral superiority of you and your ilk. We respect the choices of the voters of Pullman who favored Wal-Mart supporters by a three to one margin. We have been sensitive to the needs of those on fixed incomes, for whom the savings of a discount retailer makes a massive difference. We have not resorted to scare tactics predicting the death of children, desecration of the remains of our lost loved ones, and destruction of the local economy. We have not been dishonest. You know the results of the economic impact study, James. You know that it specifically states that downtown is vibrant and not in danger of the “blight” or “failed businesses” that you mention in your letter. You know this, James, but you said it anyway. I am insulted and I am angered by your righteous indignation and accusations. You’re an educated man, James. I expected better.

PARD's Cost To Pullman So Far

Since PARD filed its Site Plan appeal last October, Pullman has lost $217,736.41 in sales and property tax revenues.

PARD MUST END ITS APPEALS NOW!!!

Uncle Buck Speaks

Uncle Buck Viagra, an expert in the dating habits of nocturnal cloven-hoofed field-dwelling mammals, apparently now fancies himself an expert on land use law. He shared some of that knowledge in a letter in today’s Daily Evergreen:

"Pullman is polarized over Wal-Mart. The two sides talk past each other. They do so because the foundations of their arguments are fundamentally different."

Pullman is NOT “polarized” over Wal-Mart. For example, Uncle Buck’s wife, The Trolley Conductor, lost last year’s City Council election by 15 percentage points. This in the ward that will be most impacted by Wal-Mart. The vast majority of people in this town want a Wal-Mart, or they are at least not opposed to it. Any “polarization” we are experiencing is because PARD continues to spout outrageous and irresponsible lies that Wal-Mart will kill kids, shutter stores, desecrate dead bodies, and ruin our sex lives.

Yes, the foundations of our arguments are fundamentally different. The members of PARD, like Uncle Buck, are jihadis, embarked on a Holy War. No amount of truth, logic, reason or facts will change their mind. Witness the recent fiscal impact study that was just revealed. It conclusively proves that all the things that PARD claims are untrue. Yet, they began to attack the study at the hearing before even seeing it, just because it doesn’t fit with their radical ideology.

"One side uses moral compassion to emphasize child safety in the streets, employee exploitation, generation of city blight, failed businesses, pollution, and the desecration of cemetery solitude that the proposed Wal-Mart will bring.

The arguments from the opposing side encompass property rights and an apparent new constitutional right to shop in disregard of community and responsibility to one’s fellow man."

Well, PARD has finally publicly come out against private property rights. We all knew they were Socialists, and now we have the proof.

As far as the Constitution goes, what crass hypocrisy! These are the same people that say there is a Constitutional right to gay marriage, abortions, and all sorts of other things the majority of Americans find morally repugnant. But now suddenly we can’t shop where we want? At least Jim Fisher, another liberal, got that point right.

I’m sure the members of PARD rail against the “Religious Right” for trying to impose their brand of morality on others, yet that is exactly what these “Liberal Leftists” are trying to do to us.

This is why Justice wears a blindfold and holds a scale. The land use law that is being addressed in the current Wal-Mart appeal hearings does not provide for “moral compassion”, thank God. The law is supposed to be objective. “Moral compassion” is subjective.

"The Pullman politicians and their city managers have adapted the latter view with an eye on potential tax revenues. They view Moscow as an enemy and have failed to study the costs of their actions to other political entities, e.g. Whitman County, Colfax, State of Washington, or consider the long-term adverse pernicious effects that a one-store town will have on WSU and other institutions."

Of course, the Pullman government wants tax revenue!!!!! That’s what a government does!! Only an elitist college professor would dismiss the budget needs that we have or how half or our taxable revenue is being exported out of town. No one hates Moscow, but we do compete with them, like it or not. In business, there are winners and losers. PULLMAN HAS BEEN A LOSER THE LAST 30 PLUS YEARS. I’M SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT MOSCOW. THIS IS PULLMAN!! LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT!! Of course, Uncle Buck did not list Moscow and Latah County as “political entities”. But as far as Colfax, Whitman County and Washington go, the new study has shown they will benefit as well. And there are no “long-term adverse pernicious effects” either.

And talk about rich hypocrisy!! The effects a “one-store town will have on WSU”? HA!! Isn't that what we have now with ShopKo? And how about the effects a “one-university town have had on Pullman”? The problem now is that we are not economically diversified enough. The largest employer in town pays no property tax, its employees pay no state income taxes, half of its employees live outside of Pullman and pay no property tax here, and students and visitors spend half their money outside of town. Don’t believe me? Check out the City’s Comprehensive Plan.

"They apparently lack sense and shame. We can do better.

James Krueger, Pullman Resident"

We did do better, Uncle Buck. That’s why your wife is not sitting on the City Council now. Voters have more sense than you give them credit for.

PARD's Cost To Pullman So Far

Since PARD filed its Site Plan appeal last October, Pullman has lost $215,738.92 in sales and property tax revenues.

PARD MUST END ITS APPEALS NOW!!!

"What Do We Lose by Doing More Study?"

One of TV Rerun's more memorable quotes yesterday in referring to conducting even more unrequired and illegal studies about a Pullman Wal-Mart was, "What do we lose by doing more study?"

I'll tell you exactly what we lose TV.

An economic expert testified yesterday that a Pullman Wal-Mart could do up to $70 million a year in business, resulting in some $500,000 a year in sales tax revenue for the city of Pullman.

Further information from the Whitman County Assessor's Office was submitted by Jim Hawkes.

Pullman property tax rate is $16,4361 per thousand of appraised value. The estimated appraisal of the Wal-Mart Supercenter is $20,000,000.00.

$20,000,000.00 X .0164361= $328,722.00

$78,146.00 goes to the City of Pullman
$18,238.00 goes to the hospital
$9,958.00 goes to Emergency Medical Services
$9,958.00 goes to Pullman Metro Park District
$112,784.00 goes to the public schools

Total for Pullman is $229,084.00

$35,334.00 goes to Whitman County
$8914.00 goes to the Port of Whitman

Total for the county is $44,248.00

The State of Washington gets $55,390.00

$500,000 + $229,084 = $729,084 per year from a Pullman Supercenter in sales and property tax revenue alone. That comes out to $1997.49 every day that PARD's endless and frivilous delays are costing Pullman.

Total Tax Revenue Lost Since PARD's Site Plan Appeal was Filed: $213,741.43

I will be updating this figure every day until PARD drops their appeal or their appeal is rejected.

Wal-Mart presents surprise impact study

From today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News:

More public testimony, closing arguments set for Thursday

By Michelle Dupler
Daily News staff writer

Members of the Pullman Alliance for Responsible Development have clamored for months for a study on the economic impact that the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter will have on the city of Pullman.

In a surprise move, Wal-Mart gave PARD what it wanted during the second day of hearings on the retail giant’s development application. The first day, Jan. 13, was packed with public comments both supporting and opposing the application.

Bill Reid, a land-use economist with Portland-based consulting firm Johnson Gardner, presented the results of a study he performed showing Wal-Mart is unlikely to affect most businesses in town. His study also showed the super center is likely to reduce the projected 49 percent leakage of shopping dollars from Pullman to other communities.

Wal-Mart filed an application to build a 223,000-square-foot super center on Bishop Boulevard in October 2004. PARD formed in January 2005 to fight the controversial retailer’s presence in Pullman.

That fight has included filing two appeals to Wal-Mart’s site plan and State Environmental Policy Act checklist. A consolidated hearing on the two appeals began Jan. 13 and continued Friday. PARD presented about a day and a half of testimony from members and paid consultants about issues ranging from traffic and stormwater to the proposed store’s proximity to the Pullman cemetery.

Concerns also have been raised about noise and light pollution, including a much-discussed claim by Washington State University Professor James Krueger on Jan. 13 that light pollution could cause Pullman men to become impotent. He based the claim on research involving deer.

The cornerstone of PARD’s argument has been the notion that a Wal-Mart Supercenter will drive small retail businesses, and larger businesses such as ShopKo and Safeway, out of town. They have cited reams of academic studies and mountains of anecdotal evidence to support their claims, but until Friday, no one had presented data specific to Pullman.

Reid’s study focused particular attention to Pullman’s downtown retail sector. He identified 83 retail or retail-service businesses in the central business core, but only 10 that would be in direct competition with the retail giant by selling the same goods or services.

“Pullman’s downtown is like a lot of other small and historical downtowns in the Pacific Northwest,” Reid said. “It doesn’t serve as a primary retail center for residents.”

The evolution of Pullman’s downtown as more of a niche retail market means many businesses won’t be in danger from a Wal-Mart, he said, adding the relatively few empty storefronts he observed were an indication of a “surprisingly vital” downtown.

Reid also noted the “leakage” of retail dollars from Pullman to Moscow, Lewiston and Spokane as a reason he thinks Wal-Mart will provide more benefit than harm to Pullman. Based on the number of households in Pullman and sales- tax data from the Washington Department of Revenue, Reid calculated that Pullman residents spend about $92 million in outside communities that could have been spent locally. That represents about 49 percent of the $187.9 million Reid believes is available for local spending.

“Those are dollars not being captured by existing retailers,” he said.

Reid also projected a Wal-Mart store would bring in about $500,000 in sales-tax revenues for the city of Pullman each year.

PARD’s attorney, Brian McGinn of Spokane, questioned Reid’s methodology, asking if he had studied the effect a Wal-Mart store would have on local wages or how Wal-Mart’s labor practices might affect the community. Reid said he had not studied those issues.

McGinn also questioned whether Reid had considered the impact of having two Wal-Mart Supercenters in the region, with a store having been proposed in Moscow in November.

“I wouldn’t characterize Wal-Mart in Pullman as competing with Wal-Mart in Moscow,” Reid said. “They will not open a store unless they are confident it will make money.”

The hearing was adjourned after an additional two and a half hours of public testimony. More public testimony and closing arguments will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Gladish Community and Cultural Center.

Hearing Examiner John Montgomery is expected to make a decision on the two appeals within 30 days after the conclusion of the hearing. If he decides in Wal-Mart’s favor, the company will be able to proceed with construction of the store. If he decides against Wal-Mart, the company may be asked to make changes to its application to correct any deficiencies Montgomery identifies.

Montgomery’s decision can be appealed to the Whitman County Superior Court by PARD, Wal-Mart or the city of Pullman.