Wal-Mart unfazed by vote in California
By Alex Veiga
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Wal-Mart officials said yesterday that the company remains undeterred from its goal of expanding in California, despite another setback at the ballot box.
The world's largest retailer spent more than $1 million to try to sway residents in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood to approve an initiative clearing the way for a superstore, but it lost the vote by a 20 percentage-point margin.
The company downplayed the vote's outcome, saying it would not affect its strategy to open 40 of its Wal-Mart Supercenter stores in California over the next four to six years.
"We've got a lot of things going on in the state. Inglewood was not our only interest," said Bob McAdam, Wal-Mart's vice president of corporate affairs. "That program continues moving forward. ... I don't see this deterring us from reaching our goal."
Critics of Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores say the company's stores, particularly its roughly 200,000 square-foot Supercenters, lead to jammed roads and worsen suburban sprawl. Labor unions say Wal-Marts only create low-benefit, low-wage jobs, and their low prices drive mom-and-pop stores out of business.
The company counters that its stores benefit consumers and help attract other businesses, which leads to more jobs.
Wal-Mart has faced steady opposition throughout the United States and California has been no exception, particularly since the company announced in 2002 its intention to expand its Supercenters in the state.
Tuesday's defeat marks at least the second time a majority of voters in a California community has blocked Wal-Mart's efforts.
Last month, residents in San Marcos, outside of San Diego, forced a referendum on a City Council decision to approve a new Wal-Mart store, and overturned it.
"They're in California, but they're not in firmly with both feet," said Madeline Janis-Aparicio, executive director of the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, which lobbied against Wal-Mart in the Inglewood vote.
