Wal-Mart Petition
Two recent VENTURA COUNTY STAR articles about the initiative to keep Wal-Mart out of Ventura:
(Image courtesy of www.businessweek.com)
[ From "Wal-Mart initiative signatures submitted - Issue would go on November 2009 ballot; store could open before then," By Kevin Clerici, VENTURA COUNTY STAR, August 8, 2008 - Full text at:
VCS: Wal-Mart Petition ]
Ventura voters will likely decide whether Wal-Mart should be allowed in town — if the world's largest retailer doesn't open shop before voters get a chance to weigh in.
The Stop Wal-Mart Ventura Coalition on Thursday submitted nearly 13,000 signatures supporting the addition of an initiative to the ballot aimed at blocking Wal-Mart or any large grocery store from opening within city boundaries.
The group needs 5,936 valid signatures, or 10 percent of registered voters, to earn a spot on the November 2009 ballot. The county Elections Division has 30 working days to verify the signatures.
A more costly special election will be required if roughly 8,900 signatures are found valid, but the coalition doesn't believe it has that many, because people who sign petitions often are not registered to vote or don't live within city limits.
The initiative would ban any new store larger than 90,000 square feet that sells groceries. Big grocers also could face special conditions if they want to move into an existing vacant store. The measure also forbids "piece-mealing" — moving into an existing store and then expanding.
"The sheer number of signatures should make it clear to the city and to Wal-Mart itself that Venturans don't want Wal-Mart here," said coalition member Nan Waltman, chairwoman of the citizens group Livable Ventura.
Wal-Mart controls the shuttered Kmart store on Victoria Avenue, and coalition members say it's likely the retailer will make a move before voters have their say at the ballot box.
They say the city could go a long way toward preserving voters' rights by requiring Wal-Mart to abide by the initiative if it tries to open before November 2009 and the measure later passes.
"We call on the City Council to formally clarify to the company that they will be held to this new law, if the people of Ventura pass it," said Das Williams, a legislative analyst for the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy.
Wal-Mart would have to get city approval to demolish the Kmart store and rebuild, the company's preference. But it would be virtually impossible to stop Wal-Mart from moving into the Kmart store if the retailer chooses not to make major physical changes to the building, said Nelson Hernandez, Ventura's development director...
The initiative specifically targets large grocery stores but not all big-box outlets. It would not ban a large electronics store like Fry's or Best Buy, or a department store.
The coalition supporting the measure includes the Tri-Counties Labor Foundation, United Food and Commercial Workers union, Stop Ventura Wal-Mart Coalition, Livable Ventura and the Ventura County Working People's Alliance.
---------------------------
[ From "Anti-Wal-Mart group submits signatures," By Marie Lakin. VENTURA COUNTY STAR, August 7, 2008 - Full text and comments at:
VCS: Wal-Mart Petition (con't)
AFTER A SIX-MONTH EFFORT, the Stop Wal-Mart Ventura Coalition submitted more than 11,000 signatures to Ventura's City Clerk today in support of an effort to keep a Wal-Mart Supercenter from being built on the site of the old K-Mart building on Victoria Avenue...
According to Stop Wal-Mart organizers, the initiative would be retroactive should the corporation decide to put in a store before the voters have a chance to decide on the issue in the fall of 2009. It would then be up to the courts to enforce it.
THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY the initiative could go before voters earlier. If at least 8,900 signatures are valid, it would trigger an early 2009 special election, but the coalition would prefer to avoid this because it would cost the city much more than placing it on the ballot in November 2009, the date of the next regular municipal election. The county is required to report within 30 working days the results of the signature verification.
... Wal-Mart does seem intent on building on the site, but hasn't made anything official yet. The Stop Wal-Mart group thinks a move is imminent.
"We have information that Wal-Mart will receive bids for construction this fall," said Livable Ventura staffer Das Williams...
(Image courtesy of www.businessweek.com)
[ From "Wal-Mart initiative signatures submitted - Issue would go on November 2009 ballot; store could open before then," By Kevin Clerici, VENTURA COUNTY STAR, August 8, 2008 - Full text at:
VCS: Wal-Mart Petition ]
Ventura voters will likely decide whether Wal-Mart should be allowed in town — if the world's largest retailer doesn't open shop before voters get a chance to weigh in.
The Stop Wal-Mart Ventura Coalition on Thursday submitted nearly 13,000 signatures supporting the addition of an initiative to the ballot aimed at blocking Wal-Mart or any large grocery store from opening within city boundaries.
The group needs 5,936 valid signatures, or 10 percent of registered voters, to earn a spot on the November 2009 ballot. The county Elections Division has 30 working days to verify the signatures.
A more costly special election will be required if roughly 8,900 signatures are found valid, but the coalition doesn't believe it has that many, because people who sign petitions often are not registered to vote or don't live within city limits.
The initiative would ban any new store larger than 90,000 square feet that sells groceries. Big grocers also could face special conditions if they want to move into an existing vacant store. The measure also forbids "piece-mealing" — moving into an existing store and then expanding.
"The sheer number of signatures should make it clear to the city and to Wal-Mart itself that Venturans don't want Wal-Mart here," said coalition member Nan Waltman, chairwoman of the citizens group Livable Ventura.
Wal-Mart controls the shuttered Kmart store on Victoria Avenue, and coalition members say it's likely the retailer will make a move before voters have their say at the ballot box.
They say the city could go a long way toward preserving voters' rights by requiring Wal-Mart to abide by the initiative if it tries to open before November 2009 and the measure later passes.
"We call on the City Council to formally clarify to the company that they will be held to this new law, if the people of Ventura pass it," said Das Williams, a legislative analyst for the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy.
Wal-Mart would have to get city approval to demolish the Kmart store and rebuild, the company's preference. But it would be virtually impossible to stop Wal-Mart from moving into the Kmart store if the retailer chooses not to make major physical changes to the building, said Nelson Hernandez, Ventura's development director...
The initiative specifically targets large grocery stores but not all big-box outlets. It would not ban a large electronics store like Fry's or Best Buy, or a department store.
The coalition supporting the measure includes the Tri-Counties Labor Foundation, United Food and Commercial Workers union, Stop Ventura Wal-Mart Coalition, Livable Ventura and the Ventura County Working People's Alliance.
---------------------------
[ From "Anti-Wal-Mart group submits signatures," By Marie Lakin. VENTURA COUNTY STAR, August 7, 2008 - Full text and comments at:
VCS: Wal-Mart Petition (con't)
AFTER A SIX-MONTH EFFORT, the Stop Wal-Mart Ventura Coalition submitted more than 11,000 signatures to Ventura's City Clerk today in support of an effort to keep a Wal-Mart Supercenter from being built on the site of the old K-Mart building on Victoria Avenue...
According to Stop Wal-Mart organizers, the initiative would be retroactive should the corporation decide to put in a store before the voters have a chance to decide on the issue in the fall of 2009. It would then be up to the courts to enforce it.
THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY the initiative could go before voters earlier. If at least 8,900 signatures are valid, it would trigger an early 2009 special election, but the coalition would prefer to avoid this because it would cost the city much more than placing it on the ballot in November 2009, the date of the next regular municipal election. The county is required to report within 30 working days the results of the signature verification.
... Wal-Mart does seem intent on building on the site, but hasn't made anything official yet. The Stop Wal-Mart group thinks a move is imminent.
"We have information that Wal-Mart will receive bids for construction this fall," said Livable Ventura staffer Das Williams...
Posted by Malcolm on
8/09/2008
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