Laserfiche WebLink
October 2, 2007 <br /> Dear Council Members, <br /> I am writing to ask for you to vote NO on the Big Box Ban. My request is <br /> two-fold. <br /> First, as a consumer, I would like to have the choice to shop at merchants of <br /> choice. Ten years ago before Wal-Mart came to Hilo, we were limited to <br /> shop at stores like KTA, Sack n Save, Safeway, Woolworth and Longs for <br /> our groceries and household needs. We were limited to the mall stores or to <br /> drive to Kona for our clothing needs. As a mother of five, on welfare, it was <br /> financially impossible for me to drive to Kona. This made it very expensive <br /> and difficult to properly clothe my children for school. There was very little <br /> competitive pricing for the consumer. Once Wal-Mart came to Hilo, <br /> shopping for my household goods and clothing as well as school supplies for <br /> five children was more affordable. I am grateful to Wal-Mart for bringing <br /> competitive pricing to Hilo. I still do not do all of my shopping at Wal-Mart. <br /> I still shop at my local businesses when I choose, but I appreciate the <br /> option. I would also like that same option when choosing my grocery store. <br /> Since we know that the ban is not for regular Wal-Marts, Targets or K-Marts, <br /> what we are really fighting for is the right to have a "grocery" store attached <br /> <br /> to one of these stores. I truly want the choice to shop there if I choose. If <br /> <br /> you vote yes to this ban, you take away my right to choose. Please don't <br /> make that choice for me. <br /> Secondly, my request comes as an employee of Wal-Mart. As I said, before <br /> Wal-Mart came to Hilo, I was on welfare. I started my career with Wal-Mart <br /> shortly after the store opened in 1997. Since that time, I am no longer on <br /> welfare or county housing, and I now own my own home in Puna. I also <br /> <br /> have great benefits that not only include regular medical and dental, but also <br /> 401-K, profit sharing, scholarship programs for myself, my children and my <br /> community, and much, much more. I have watched Wal-Mart give so much <br /> <br /> to the community that I never realized until I began working at Wal-Mart. <br /> We all know that there are not nearly enough jobs available in the Hilo area. <br /> This Supercenter will create more jobs and give more of our citizens some of <br /> <br /> the opportunities that I have enjoyed as an employee of Wal-Mart. Some of <br /> <br /> those jobs that are created will be in the stores themselves, but also in the <br /> <br />