HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0032.081 2006-2008 Page 1 of 1
Murashige, Laura
From: Calapre@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 8:58 PM y'~"~ ~j[; , ; ~ i° ~ r'
To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: (no subject) -
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Attachments: Walmart Supercenter.wps
PLEASE vote no to the Big box ban!
PS
Read the attachment it is my personal thought on this topic.
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COfBfll. ivo.J2.01
Ref. To: In..~s
Ref. Date Uuuu///
10/3/2007
October 2, 2007
Dear Council Members,
I am writing to ask for you to vote NO on the Big Box Ban. My request is
two-fold.
First, as a consumer, I would like to have the choice to shop at merchants of
choice. Ten years ago before Wal-Mart came to Hilo, we were limited to
shop at stores like KTA, Sack n Save, Safeway, Woolworth and Longs for
our groceries and household needs. We were limited to the mall stores or to
drive to Kona for our clothing needs. As a mother of five, on welfare, it was
financially impossible for me to drive to Kona. This made it very expensive
and difficult to properly clothe my children for school. There was very little
competitive pricing for the consumer. Once Wal-Mart came to Hilo,
shopping for my household goods and clothing as well as school supplies for
five children was more affordable. I am grateful to Wal-Mart for bringing
competitive pricing to Hilo. I still do not do all of my shopping at Wal-Mart.
I still shop at my local businesses when I choose, but I appreciate the
option. I would also like that same option when choosing my grocery store.
Since we know that the ban is not for regular Wal-Marts, Targets or K-Marts,
what we are really fighting for is the right to have a "grocery" store attached
to one of these stores. I truly want the choice to shop there if I choose. If
you vote yes to this ban, you take away my right to choose. Please don't
make that choice for me.
Secondly, my request comes as an employee of Wal-Mart. As I said, before
Wal-Mart came to Hilo, I was on welfare. I started my career with Wal-Mart
shortly after the store opened in 1997. Since that time, I am no longer on
welfare or county housing, and I now own my own home in Puna. I also
have great benefits that not only include regular medical and dental, but also
401-K, profit sharing, scholarship programs for myself, my children and my
community, and much, much more. I have watched Wal-Mart give so much
to the community that I never realized until I began working at Wal-Mart.
We all know that there are not nearly enough jobs available in the Hilo area.
This Supercenter will create more jobs and give more of our citizens some of
the opportunities that I have enjoyed as an employee of Wal-Mart. Some of
those jobs that are created will be in the stores themselves, but also in the
community from local farmers that the store will buy produce from, the
dairies that sell more milk, etc.. Please, as a consumer and employee, please
vote NO on the Big Box Ban.
Sincerely,
Carolynn Lapre'
RR4, Box 2206
Pahoa, HI 96778