Wal-Mart Is Focus of Money Issue

* Huntington Beach cannot have it both ways.

In allowing a Wal-Mart to be built in a residential neighborhood, the economic development director said the cost of providing public safety services such as fire, police and marine safety [to homes] exceeds revenue from property and sales tax revenue by $7 million annually.

Now the city is considering annexing the Bolsa Chica and allowing 1,235 homes to be built, saying the city will make money.

How can they argue that a residential development will cost a shortfall in the case of a Wal-Mart and tell us that annexing the Bolsa Chica and allowing 1,235 residences to be built will make money?

EILEEN MURPHY

Huntington Beach

* Re “Just Say ‘No Growth’,” Dec. 16, concerning San Juan Capistrano:

The bulk of the article was next to one about the Huntington Beach City Council overriding the wishes of their citizens and planning commission to make way for a Wal-Mart.

I’m very proud of our city and our City Council.

STEVE BEHMERWOHLD

San Juan Capistrano

* Regarding the Dec. 20 letter, “Opposition to Wal-Mart”:

Virginians all too eagerly accepted Wal-Mart stores into our rural and suburban neighborhoods during the 1980s.

Today our main streets are dead and our downtown cores are empty. Why? Because Wal-Mart came to town and killed its competitors: our family and friends who survived selling goods and services for decades.

Responsible businesses help build our communities and improve our living standards by paying fair wages and providing affordable, quality health coverage to employees and their families.

Irresponsible employers, like Wal-Mart, cause living standards to fall by destroying jobs and paying low wages, shrinking the tax base, reducing the number of workers with health benefits, and increasing the number of workers eligible for welfare.

MARK PETERSON

Roanoke, VA