Residents in Pajaro, California were up in arms to learn that a Wal-Mart supercenter has been proposed for their community. Sprawl-Busters received the following report from the frontlines: “There have been several articles in our local paper about how Wal-Mart wants to move into our little town. The majority of the residents had worked in the canneries, frozen foods plants, and Smuckers. Of course, all these businesses have moved to a more profitable location. According to the newspaper articles, Pajaro residents are looking forward to Wal-Mart moving in so they can get a job and so they can buy things more cheaply. Also, there are supposed to be other businesses going in and a large low-cost housing development. The people interviewed were at a meeting that we only found out about after the fact because it was “by invitation only”. Two years ago we fought valiantly against the construction of Home Depot in nearby Watsonville, but the promise of lower prices, jobs, and tax revenues prevailed. So, I would think that Watsonville, in an effort to keep shoppers in Watsonville, will fight against a Wal-Mart being built so close. Other things in our favor are that the farmland in question is in a flood plain, we have a water shortage, and there would be a huge traffic problem. But, I’m afraid that Wal-Mart can overcome/ignore/buy out any of these seeming obstacles and push their way into and smother yet another community. What we really need to do is reopen the plants and give people their jobs back plus make them stock holders. We need to educate Americans that they need to pay a little more, not less, for a product, so that people can work at jobs with a living wage, get benefits, and pay into social security.”
For local contacts in Pajaro, or to help in the effort to turn back Wal-Mart, contact [email protected].
