http://laplaza. org/totem/econ. htmlRetail Business, Jobs, Taxes and Prices in TaosSupport your friends and neighbors and local businesses.
Say NO to an SS Wal-Mart!Since Wal-Mart came to Taos, the number of retail businesses decreased from 438 to 231. In the last five years alone, retail jobs decreased from 3156 to 1500. (US census, pub 1/2003)Those closed businesses and the lost jobs supported community members, their children, their employees, and the stores in which they shopped. More local businesses will close after a Wal-Mart superstore comes to town.
If businesses close at the same rate, Taos will lose 47% of its current retail stores and 54. 5% of its retail jobs in a few years. What do we tell the families who have lost businesses or jobs that pay a living wage? Will as many tourists visit when we have fewer restaurants and shops because Taose�os can’t afford to support them during the year?Can local banks stay open with fewer local business and worker deposits and when Wal-Mart deposits its money at night and withdraws it in the morning? How long will Wal-Mart remain profitable and open when fewer people have money to spend?Gross Receipts TaxesIn 1998 Wal-Mart accounted for only 4. 6% of the total taxes due Taos from all industries. (NM Taxation ; Revenue Dept. and Wal-Mart)Do we change our land use code because Wal-Mart wants to blanket the country? What do we say to the hundreds of people who worked three years to produce Vision 20/20 and our land use code? Do we change our code that would support a local economy of thriving tourist and local-serving businesses, cottage industries and home businesses, agriculture and small sustainable industriesthat do not negatively impact the environment? What do we leave for our children and grandchildren?Food PricesWal-Mart tells shoppers that they have low prices.
However, a comparison of prices between the Taos food stores and the Wal-Mart superstore in Espanola shows:Meats are up to 91% higher in WMFruits and vegetables up to 230% higher in WMDairy products up to 16% higher in WMBeverages up to 31% higher in WM.Some people from Espanola even come to Taos to shop in SuperSave!Other LocationsIf either the County or the Pueblo were viable locations for Wal-Mart,wouldn’t they have built in either placein the three years since Vision 20/20 was a .
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