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Atascadero Walmart approved

June 27, 2012

By KAREN VELIE

Following more than two hours of public comment, the Atascadero City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve the construction of a Walmart and another shopping center dubbed the Annex near the intersection of El Camino Real and Del Rio Road.

Of the 60 speakers, 37 spoke in favor of Walmart noting the jobs the mega store could bring to the area and the increased shopping opportunities.

Opponents, 23 in all, primarily argued against the city partially funding roundabouts and related  road work estimated to cost $4.5 million. As part of a cost-sharing plan, Walmart agreed to pay about $2.2 million, with the city covering the remainder.

As the result of Tuesday’s approval, a Walmart could open as early as 2014.


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Why should the council care how the funding will eventually work out — they’ll be long gone from public service, with their “Atascaderian of the Year” award in hand (and probably moved off to Havasu City), by the time the budget warts turn into full-blown financial cancer.


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Here is the thing I find funny in all the mass hysteria of the anti Wal-Marters. Back in the late 90’s there was a store here in Paso that was selling two of an item I needed. They wanted $70.00 each. Found the same item then at Home Base (when they were still open) in Santa Maria for $40.00 each. So to be a good citizen I should bend over and pay about 90% more? I want to know has anyone here been in the same situation and actually paid the 90% more? That is what I would REALLY love to hear.


On a different note a few years later I was looking for a travel trailer. Priced it in L.A. and here local. I bought local even though I paid about 5% more. Point being I don’t mind paying a little more for local service but if the local guy is going to screw me then why should I support him?????????


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I definitely have paid retail for something that I needed at the time, typically for a project I was in the middle of. Sometimes I even had to drive halfway across the county for the privilege of paying full price. I never felt bad about it, it was just the cost of business. So, no its not unusual to pay the higher price. It all depends on if you’re “on the clock” or not.


But a travel trailer? That’s not a “must-have” item in anyone’s book, so sure, take the time and effort and shop around.


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Seriously folks, the whole Wal-Mart=Chinese equation? Go to every other store besides Wal-Mart and what do you find, Chinese, Indian, Pakistan, El Salvador, Honduras… It’s not just at Wal Mart


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Theo don’t confuse the anti Wal-Mart crowd with reason.


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True that. They postulate that everyone must have unlimited funds available and therefore can buy all their needs at little, over priced boutiques and unionized grocery stores.They can’t present any viable options for how the city’s services are to be continued to be funded now and in the future.They have an over riding desire to force their collective will on the rest of us, the unenlightened masses, yet their will is clearly not based on real world , real time economic facts.


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real time economic fact:


we’re all part of the wage slavery system, and Walmart was invented to service the most desperate among us, who have no other choice. There’s only so much mileage out of an unemployment, social security, or disability check.


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So you are making my point. thanks


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Atascadero remains true to its rummage-sale mentality.


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Sad people are too lazy to drive the extra few miles to go to Wal Mart in Paso. I wonder when K Mart will be having their going out of business sales. I know down in Southern California where Wal Marts went in K Mart is now a vacant building.


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You’re calling people lazy are you’re sad because K-Mart is a vacant building? :( Buy your cat food from Circle K!


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*and*


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More like sad how lazy people are! Paso is not that far away. Now that I think of it more just how many vacant buildings are there in Atascadero? Why should there be another one.


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There are vacant buildings everywhere.


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K Mart is a sad excuse for a store anyways.People are going to go to Wal-mart no matter what so Atascadero may as well collect the sales tax revenues. The status quo plan for Atascadero hasn’t worked for the past 30 years so just how long do you think that the city services will be able to be maintained and upgraded to match with a growing population?


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Well at least everyone who loses their job can now get paid minimum wage at wal mart!


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I wonder if all of those who support this decision to let the world’s largest retailer come in and have city residents pay for more than half of the needed traffic improvements would mind stepping up and paying the share for those who did not support this decision? Yes, I was being “rhetorical”; of course those that want Wal-Mart are of one mind or the other, either jumping at the chance to buy cheap crap for less, or expecting to be saved by all of the “new” tax revenue that will flow into local government coffers. It will be very interesting to see what Cal-Trans has to say about the traffic improvements for the overpass there and how much more the city will be on the hook for.


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Really? This is your arguement? So for all the bonds that passed by a majority in Ca. the last fifteen years that I didn’t support, I shouldn’t have to pay? Point being I pay for a lot of things the majority vote. That is how things work. Same here. Get over it.


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Bob is from San Luis, so I doubt he’ll pay one cent.


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rhetorical: A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question that is asked in order to make a point and without the expectation of a reply.


“Really? This is your argument?” Um, no, it was a rhetorical question, I even labeled it as such. I hope this explanation helps you understand and comprehend, at least somewhat.


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With a brand new Wally World down the road, the Paso store–which is already unkept, dirty and unconsistently stocked–will go even further downhill.


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Sounds like from your describition you have been in Wal-Mart. If you don’t like it don’t patronize it.


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China thanks you.

Another mind-blowing bad decision. What is the need for a Wal-mart in Atas. if you already have one 10 min. away?

Walmart says one thing about a community, CHEESY.


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Sure are a bunch of cheesy communities all across America then.At least according to your definition.


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What is the need for a Target in SLO if you already have Wal-Mart in A.G. 15 min away? The need is to be able to shop locally rather than waste time, gas, and add to traffic driving out of town to buy toilet paper and disposable razors.


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I don’t think that after seven years that anyone could say they rushed to judgement on this.


As for the fall of western civilization that some are predicting I don’t think this will happen. Just use Paso for an example. The downtown Theaters, Powell’s, the original Acorn building, Via Cafe, music in the park and a lot of the eateries and improvements around the downtown all came about after Wal-Mart. Paso downtown is nicer since Wal-Mart. There are more Mom’s and Pop’s now then before.


In the end I think Atascadero will be fine. Will some business go out of business? Yes. Business that adapt will become stronger. Those that don’t will fail. This is captilism. Has been this way since our inception.


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And as happened in Paso, the Kmart employees (Kmart will fold) will find jobs at Walmart!


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Kmart in Paso had another problem. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. No business has done well there. Do you think of patronizing any of the businesses back in there? It is not an area people think of.


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One last. Kmart in general has another problem. They are working on same business model now as in the 70’s. Again adapt or die. Whatever happened to Montgomery Wards? Same thing. They never changed.


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….”changed” over to crappy Chinese inventory that is.


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I would venture that in today’s world odds are good that you probably have many Chinese items in your own home. So if you don’t like research what items are Chinese and don’t buy. That is your right.


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So go to Walmart and buy cheap Chinese crap, or go downtown and buy expensive Chinese crap?


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Whatever happened to Montgomery Ward? Bought by Mobil oil co, which had no clue about retailing, and ran them out of business. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the company or its profits prior to Mobil entering the picture. Just more predatory capitalism of the Romney vulture capital sort.


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I would suggest reading this link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_Ward


Yes Mobil did buy in later years but if you read the paragraph under downfall you will see it started in the 50’s, way before Mobil. Don’t let your hate of captialism cloud your vision.


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It’s worth noting that Kmart in Paso stayed open after Walmart came to town in 1994, but closed soon after Target opened in 1998.


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Kmart’s closing in Paso had everything to do with poor location rather than competition with Walmart. Evidence the reocurring vacant commercial buildings in that area. Pretty much nothing stays there, not even Pizza Hut or Burger King…


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It’ll be interesting to see what Tractor Supply Co. does there. That’s a regional-draw sort of store that will have the power of national advertising to draw in people.


But I’m not particularly convinced that location is the whole reason for Kmart closing, or even the main one. Paso people seemed to find the place easily enough in the 1980s. And it’s not like Target is exactly convenient to get to, but rather than close, Target has expanded since opening. The Paso Kmart location would be more convenient for people coming in from San Miguel and southern Monterey County, as well as from the 46 corridor, and northern Paso Robles (people from Oak Park used to cross the railroad tracks on foot to go to Kmart).


Also, notice I didn’t say the Paso Kmart closed due to competition with Walmart. It closed due to competition with Walmart AND Target AND a Kmart in the next town, in a North County that a good bit fewer people in it then vs. now. Too many choices with better prices or better style.


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