Union leaders and concerned citizens backing a referendum
attempt aimed at the Newman-developed shopping center planned for
Highway 152 and U.S. 101 that might include a controversial new
Super Wal-Mart have abandoned that plan.
Union leaders and concerned citizens backing a referendum attempt aimed at the Newman-developed shopping center planned for Highway 152 and U.S. 101 that might include a controversial new Super Wal-Mart have abandoned that plan.
“We took a close look at our resources and we decided that we need to focus clearly on voter registration and voter turnout in November,” Miguel “Mike” Correa said in a prepared statement.
Or perhaps they finally understood that killing the incentives program won’t stop a Super Wal-Mart from locating in the shopping center. That’s because Wal-Mart is an existing business in Gilroy and incentive money can’t be used for any portion of the project that includes existing businesses.
Many of those supporting the referendum were more opposed to Wal-Mart supersizing than they were to sales tax incentives. Many don’t like the fact that Wal-Mart employees aren’t unionized, don’t like the pay scale and benefits the company offers, and worried a Super Wal-Mart, which includes a grocery store, would drive small grocers out of business.
Besides saving the city the cost of holding a special election on the referendum, the decision to abandon the referendum effort means that the long-planned deal that supporters say will bring much-needed sales tax revenue to city coffers won’t be scuttled.
Opponents of retail incentives to entice big-box retailers to town now have an opportunity to help voters differentiate between candidates for City Council this fall: How does each candidate stand on the issue? And for those who oppose economic incentives for retailers should expect to answer some difficult questions Like:
•”How do you plan to pay for city services without sales tax revenue?”
• “Should we cut back the size of our police force or hold the line on pay and benefit increases?”
Economic incentives, of course, won’t be the only issue facing this fall’s city council candidates – far from it. They’ll also need to answer questions about the state of Gilroy’s downtown, the $25 million police station, how to pay for staffing the Sunrise Fire Station in the city’s northwest quad, the plans for a second high school at Day Road and Santa Teresa Boulevard, just for starters.
We wouldn’t want candidates’ positions on economic incentives to be a make-or-break issue for any voter. But we’re glad to see citizens off the bench and in the field, as it were, on this important issue for our community. Efforts to increase voter registration and voter turnout are laudable.
Kudos to referendum backers for deciding to change tactics in their fight against Super Wal-Mart and economic incentives.
A referendum on our elected leaders is a much better way to handle this debate.
