2007-06-05 TSUPERSTORES - Laserfiche WebLink

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drive all this way and you’re helping to make Wal-Mart more money. They don’t care about what’s happening. The donations that they’re making to the people over here, that’s not even a drop in the bucket. Because Wal-Mart is the biggest corporation in the entire world. And what is a $100,000 to them because they’re going to donate? So the Kanaka Council opposes, opposes any development and approval of the superstores, and we will do whatever is necessary to continue to oppose it. . ALAMEDA: Thank you, Mr. Gumapac Any questions? Commissioner Siracusa. SIRACUSA: I just wanted to assure the testifier that the reason I asked that question about that donations was because I wanted to find out if he was sort of threatening us with withdrawal of donations, not just because I wanted to say oh, whoopee, Wal-Mart, thank you for all those donations. And I was glad that he was not threatening us with that. But that doesn’t mean that I, you know, support that. GUMAPAC: Well, if they decide to add more to the pot, that’s good. So that will help our local people even more. But let’s keep it small as far as the stores go. IWASHITA: I just, are you taking action with Hawaiian Home lands, too? GUMAPAC: Absolutely. IWASHITA: Okay, thank you. ALAMEDA: Thank you. Ma’am, could you please state your name and address for the record. HARDEN: Cory Harden, 18-4033 Kanahele Place in Mt. View. I urge you to keep superstores off Hawaii Island. I urge you to vote for the amendment to ban superstores and against the amendment for a superstore zoning district. As you know Kauai bans superstores and bans are also proposed on Oahu and Maui. Superstores may cause Wal-Mart affects even if they’re not Wal-Marts. I brought some data from the high cost of low prices website which has citations for every point that it makes. It seems fairly credible. I do have two comments based on what the Wal-Mart managers just said. I am real disturbed when you were asked about problems and risks that there might be that you didn’t come up with any until we thought about it a while. That makes me concern of whether you’re looking at the effects on the community realistically. And it could raise questions in some people’s minds about how forthcoming Wal-Mart is about, you know, some of the downsides. Everything has an upside and a downside. So that was my reaction to what they said. ALAMEDA: Ma’am, if you can just direct your comments to us. EXHIBIT D 16