Not being a resident of Monroe, I don’t have an ax to grind in regard to the proposed (or is that fait accompli?) Walmart store. However, I would ask those who are expecting a windfall from the arrival of this retail behemoth to consider the fate of the small business owners, many of whom, I suspect, have poured their life savings into enterprises from which they hoped to profitably provide goods and services to the community.
The new store in Arlington has been open for a while now; perhaps a quick check with business folk of that area would be beneficial insofar as gaining some insight into this question.
Oh, and for those hoping to prosper from the construction end of the equation, be advised that for the Arlington project, the general contractors, most of their sub-trades and their respective employees came from out of state. My employer was one of few (if not the only) area firms utilized on the building, and that was made possible only with market recovery funds provide by the Carpenters Union. While there were doubtlessly others, except for my co-workers, I met only two tradesmen on the job who live in the area. In fairness, I must state that I have no knowledge of the exterior trades; excavation, paving etc., who for convenience would be more apt to come from close by.
For the sake of their community as well as their collective conscience, I hope that those to whom the responsibility of this decision falls will consider the long-term effect on the local citizenry after the tax dollars have been absorbed and the luster of cheap goods diminished.
Ed Armstrong
Mill Creek
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