The Explorer printed a front page story in their July 4 issue concerning Oro Valley First trying to reach as many citizens as possible asking for support.
Reporter Patrick McNamara did a good job in getting quotes from a number of sources.
We would ask our readers to read the quotes carefully, especially those of OV1st spokesperson, and council candidate, Salette Latas, and those of mayor Paul Loomis. Each reader can decide: Who is more believable? As to the other quotes, the Wal-Mart spokesperson sounds very much like David Malin, Vestar Project Manager-----and we know how believable he was!
Read the article by clicking here.
3 comments:
I thought the Explorer article was very slanted on the side of Wal-Mart with negative comments quoted from 3 people (Berkowitz, Culver and Loomis) and the only positive comment coming from the OV1st spokesperson. It wasn't a balanced article but I had already heard that this reporter was pro-Wal-Mart so I'm not surprised.
And just how much credence can you give to Culver and Berkowitz, two people who talk out of both sides of their mouth! Culver states that she "harbors reservations" about the W-M yet she is against OV1st and doesn't like our tactics.
What's wrong with our tactics? We walk door-to-door in triple digit temps delivering flyers (that's dedication for you!), we place ads in local papers, we write letters to the editor, we've shown the documentary, "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices" at the OV Library on 3 separate occasions, we've set up tables outside of local businesses and the library to collect signatures and we paid for approx. 7,000 phone calls to Oro Valley households asking people to join us in supporting local business and opposing the 24/7 Wal-Mart Supercenter. But Ms. Culver sees these as questionable tactics! Our tactics are reasonable and civilized. What would she propose that we do instead?
What's the matter with Ms. Culver? Does she not support local business? Does she support big box junk stores and all the traffic and crime they engender? Perhaps she spoke to the reporter because she hasn't been in the news in awhile and she was simply looking for a way to get her face back in the paper.
Same for Lois Berkowitz who had previously written a letter to the editor in which she stated that "OVM is a terribly executed contract" and then went on to say that she wanted to go after OV1st because of what she called, "stealth tactics." Again, you're either FOR Wal-Mart and the $23 million dollar incentive or you're AGAINST it. And if you're against it, then don't attack those who have the courage to stand up for themselves and their town.
Stealth means "proceeding in a covert way...hidden, secret." We're not hiding when we walk door-to-door nor when we table outside of businesses nor when we show the W-M documentary nor when we sign our names to the numerous letters we've had published in the Explorer and the Star, nor when we protested at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Then we have Delia Garcia, Wal-Mart's Director of Corporate Affairs for Arizona who stated, "There is no credible study that will show a correlation between Wal-Mart and crime." How about Tucson Police Dept. statistics? In 2003, there were 1,096 police calls to the Wal-Mart on Valencia, in 2004 there were 1,195 calls, in 2005 there were 908 calls.
By comparison, in 2005 there were 854 calls for ALL OF TUCSON MALL and 859 calls for ALL OF PARK PLACE MALL. So one Wal-Mart store generated more police calls than that of an entire shopping mall!
Oh, by the way...remember when Vestar first announced their tenant list and one of the tenant's was, "Danny's Family Car Wash?" That sure sounded like an upscale establishment to me! Shortly afterwards, the tenant list was changed to read, "Danny's Gourmet Market." Hmmm...that sounded suspicious so one of our OV1st members did some investigating (yes, we do THAT, too) and found out that what we're getting is a combination gas station and convenience store that somehow goes under the name of a gourmet market. Oh good, a convenience store and gas station. Just more wonderful unique upscale shopping at our new "extraordinary" mall!
Other than acknowledging that Mr. McNamara ONLY quoted Salette, while soliciting quotes from the "other point of view," I agree totally with "Victorian Cowgirl's" assessment.
My point was that Salette came across as the believable one.
We expected nothing less from the WM spokesperson, we know where Mr. Loomis stands, and we certainly know why the voters gave Ms. Culver a last place finish in her reelection bid in 2006.
As for Ms. Berkowitz, there are quite a few of her kind: talking out of both sides of their mouth.
So, to sum up. Salette made it more than equitable with her coherent, intelligent comments
Art
Howling in agreement with Victorian
cowgirl!
About former council member Culver, I would ask her why she has a problem with the tactics of a citizens group trying to make a developer who signed an agreement with our town honor that contract.. On the other hand Ms. Culver seemingly has no problem with the tactics used by Vestar which at best were deceptive. Why speak up against citizens but not a developer who is trying to pull one over on the town.
Mayor Loomis again does not seem to get it. Most are not in opposition to the entire Market Place or the majority of its tenants. We oppose ONE tenant,
Wal-Mart!
Read my paw print!!
Post a Comment