Residents in Crest View, CA have taken to the ballot to try and stop Wal-Mart from coming to town. A citizen’s group, Crest View United, has six months to gather signatuares from 15,500 voters in Huntington Beach to put the question on the special election ballot. Mayor Peter Green, who with 3 other Council members voted in December to rezone land from residential to commercial, told the Los Angeles Times: “I think the people in Crest View are free to use any political or legal means necessary to accomplish their objective.” On January 20, the residents announced they would go to the ballot. “We have to tell the City Council that they con’t sacrifice an entire neighborhood, ignore the pleas of residents, and get away with it,” said Marvin Josephson, a co-chair of Crest View United. Residents have fought for months to keep Wal-Mart off the site near Beach Boulevard and Talbert Ave. City officials say the city needs the revenue a Wal-Mart store could bring to its coffers. There is no indication, however, the city officials have any economic impact data other than the self-serving statements of the developer. (See Jan 31st Kilmarnock entry below). Crest View United will kick off its signature drive on February 20th. In other referendums, companies like Wal-Mart spend enormous sums of money to defeat the citizens. In Toledo, OH, for example, Home Depot spent $444,000 to win a rezoning of property to their favor. Most of the funds spent were for telemarketing and direct mailings.
To find out how you can help with the Crest View referendum against Wal-Mart, contact Bob Cronk in Huntington Beach California at 847-8870.
