Posted on 06/19/2006 7:20:17 AM PDT by Raquel
For Immediate Press Release Contact: Thomas M. Long (718) 921-2158
Queens County Conservatives reject efforts by elected officials to keep Wal-Mart out of Queens. Wal-Mart, a world-wide company and household name, was in negotiations to purchase the Caldor store at Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing and invest $5 to $10 million in its renovation. The project, previously scheduled to begin as early as July 2006, was halted when elected officials intervened. Members of the City Council claim that Wal-Mart is not “suitable” or “welcome” in Queens. Congressman Anthony Weiner made the baseless statement that Wal-Mart would be a “crime magnet.” Queens County Chairman Tom Long said, “The idea that Wal-Mart would increase crime is ridiculous. There is no doubt that Wal-Mart will create jobs and save shoppers money.”
Wal-Mart sells a mix of domestic products from apparel to groceries. Starting from its first store in 1962, it has grown to over 3,700 stores in the United States alone. Wal-Mart’s biggest appeal for consumers is discount prices with a variety of products. Wal-Mart estimates that one store in New York City would provide 300 jobs and generate a yearly tax revenue of $5 million. The tax payer saves money by shopping at the discount store and the City loses tax revenue every time a Queens' resident drives to Long Island in order to shop there. When the super-store opened at Oakland, California last year, more than 11,000 people applied for 400 positions. It is not the consumers nor the workers who are complaining, but the politicians grandstanding.
The real reason elected officials are snubbing Wal-Mart is because its employees are not unionized. Unions donate large sums of money to politicians who support their point of view. Since unions thrive on more unions, when a mega-store like Wal-Mart opens, union leaders believe their organization will suffer. But the plain truth is, people who apply for jobs at Wal-Mart are mostly teenagers who are insured by their parents, senior citizens already insured by Medicare, and stay-at-home moms already insured by their husbands, all of whom want to work part time. Hardly the type of workers unions are looking for anyway.
Wal-Mart should be free to compete in the New York City market, which encourages economic growth and gives consumers better options. Queens County Conservatives welcome Wal-Mart and refuse to be bullied by union leaders and their political cohorts.
**END**
And government is a _____ magnet.
a) idiot
b) graft
c) liar
d) all of the above.
Pingo
WalMart PING!!!!!!!!!!
I'll venture to guess "a" and "c"
The correct answer is "d". Thank you for playing.
So, they prefer a store sitting empty than a viable business which will bring in tax money, jobs, and encourage other businesses???????
And people continue to wonder why I am continually embarrssed by the actions of th elected officials of the city of my birth and childhood..........Criminy.
I've seen that Rep. Weiner. He bears a strong family resemblance to, well to a weiner.
"...and refuse to be bullied by union leaders and their political cohorts."
*APPLAUSE*
Ping
The reason why i didn't choose "b" too was because technically a graft implies improvement.
I thought Long was a Brooklyn guy...
I'm surprised Walmart would bother setting up shop in NYC , thats the one place that would manage to make their stores unprofitable, with the lawsuits, unions, mafia, socialist crook politician harassment and thieving employess.
Michael Long, is the Chairman of the Conservative Party of New York State and lives in Brooklyn.
Tom Long, his brother, is the Chairman of the Conservative Party of Queens County and lives in Queens.
Ahhh, thanks.
I'm moved out of NYC in 1982 with all intentions of coming back after I established myself. Here it is 24 years later and the very LAST place I would want to live is NYC. I knew that within 5 years.
I'm perfectly happy, after 20 successful years in media and politics, now having my little farm in the middle of nowhere and shopping in WalMart.
It really kills me to say this - but you are so MORE than correct...........
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