Sprawl-busters in Commerce, TX have a problem with the kind of commerce Wal-Mart is proposing in their community. Wal-Mart currently has a store in Commerce, but has apparently told the community that if they are not allowed to build a new supercenter, they will close their old store and leave town. The land Wal-Mart wants belongs now to Texas A&M University. Wal-Mart has said its current store employs 100, and the new store will employ 200 people. This, of course, is a gross figure, which does not indicate that half the jobs are part-time, and jobs at other businesses in Commerce will be lost when Wal-Mart opens. “Our town has a stable, almost thriving downtown,” wrote 23 year resident David Zvanut, in a letter to Texas A&M President Keith McFarland. “I’m afraid the same thing will happen to Commerce as happened to Greenville, TX. They allowed a mall anchored by Wal-Mart to locate far from downtown, which killed their downtown. Then they allowed a super Wal-Mart to locate near the mall, and killed the mall. Drive around Greenville. Do you want this to happen to Commerce?,” Zvanut wrote. “So what if they build somewhere else? Is this seen as a threat to our local economy? I think our population would be better served if we had more chice in goods and services, which would be the result if Wal-Mart pulled out.” Citizens are asking Texas A&M not to sell their land to Wal-Mart. As Zvanut concludes: “I choose to live here because of the unique relationship between the University and the town…I believe that there are no real benefits to this proposal, and a potential for great damage to our local economy and quality of life.”
Please write a short note today to the President of Texas A&M, urgin the university to use their land in Commerce for something better than a Wal-Mart. His address: Dr. Keith McFarland, President, Texas A&M University, Commerce, TX 75429. For further information, or to provide financial help, contact David L. Zvanut, Route 2, Box 62, Commerce, TX 75428. You can email David at: bettinaz@swbell.net
