Consumers should make the choice on Wal-Mart

Published 11:35 am Thursday, December 20, 2007

The Forum article appearing in the Dec. 7, 2007, Mill Creek Enterprise by Ms. Bonham and Ms. Lowe is full of misstatements and conjecture unsubstantiated by documented evidence.

Every store/branch that is part of national chain will report its income to a regional or national office, usually out of state. In addition to most stores at Alderwood mall, McDonald’s, Albertsons, Key Bank, Safeway, Lowes, Wells Fargo Bank, QFC and Fred Meyer are in this category.

Wal-Mart does not decide where its suppliers make their products. Suppliers decide. Many products sold by Wal-Mart are sold by local stores, too, be they made overseas in China or Timbuktu. Your point?

The bullet points are bunk as many of the points made apply to so many businesses in our area, not just to Wal-Mart. Manufacturers don’t have to deal with Wal-Mart. Sending jobs overseas (Boeing) is not Wal-Marts doing as they are a middleman, not the manufacturer. Farmers and small businesses get subsidies, too, be it in the form of price supports, government-backed SBA loans, payments to hire felons who have completed their time, grants for research, etc. A dated national SBA statistic: 75 percent of small businesses fail in the first year and 50 percent fail in the second year. Is that because of Wal-Mart? Not likely.

Is one to assume that of the 8,000 cars per day, none will be nearby residents or some drivers of the thousands of cars per day that use 132nd and Seattle Hill Road to get to/from the valley and Highway 9 or to Snohomish-Cascade developments who choose to shop at Wal-Mart? Not likely.

We as consumers have the ability to “vote with our wallet.” The decision to shop at Wal-Mart or any other store is up to each individual, not Citizens for a Better Mill Creek. It’s called freedom of choice.

Mark T. Beales

Mill Creek