Walmart :: essays research papers

http://laplaza.org/~totem/econ.html Retail Business, Jobs, Taxes and Prices in Taos Support your friends and neighbors and local businesses. Say NO to an SS Wal-Mart! Since Wal-Mart came to Taos, the number of retail businesses decreased from 438 to 231. In the last five years alone, retail jobs decreased from 3156 to 1500. (US census, pub 1/2003) Those closed businesses and the lost jobs supported community members, their children, their employees, and the stores in which they shopped. More local businesses will close after a Wal-Mart superstore comes to town. If businesses close at the same rate, Taos will lose 47% of its current retail stores and 54.5% of its retail jobs in a few years. What do we tell the families who have lost businesses or jobs that pay a living wage? Will as many tourists visit when we have fewer restaurants and shops because Taose�os can't afford to support them during the year? Can local banks stay open with fewer local business and worker deposits and when Wal-Mart deposits its money at night and withdraws it in the morning? How long will Wal-Mart remain profitable and open when fewer people have money to spend? Gross Receipts Taxes In 1998 Wal-Mart accounted for only 4.6% of the total taxes due Taos from all industries. (NM Taxation & Revenue Dept. and Wal-Mart) Do we change our land use code because Wal-Mart wants to blanket the country? What do we say to the hundreds of people who worked three years to produce Vision 20/20 and our land use code? Do we change our code that would support a local economy of thriving tourist and local-serving businesses, cottage industries and home businesses, agriculture and small sustainable industries that do not negatively impact the environment? What do we leave for our children and grandchildren? Food Prices Wal-Mart tells shoppers that they have low prices. However, a comparison of prices between the Taos food stores and the Wal-Mart superstore in Espanola shows: