Walmart

http://laplaza.org/~totem/econ.html

Retail Business, Jobs, Taxes and Prices in Taos

Support your friends and neighbors and local businesses.

Say NO to an SS Wal-Mart!

Since Wal-Mart came to Taos, the number of retail businesses decreased from 438 to 231.

In the last five years alone, retail jobs decreased from 3156 to 1500. (US census, pub 1/2003)

Those closed businesses and the lost jobs supported community members,

their children, their employees, and the stores in which they shopped.

More local businesses will close after a Wal-Mart superstore comes to town.

If businesses close at the same rate,

Taos will lose 47% of its current retail stores and 54.5% of its retail jobs in a few years.

What do we tell the families who have lost businesses or jobs that pay a living wage?

Will as many tourists visit when

we have fewer restaurants and shops because Taose�os can't afford to support them during the year?

Can local banks stay open with fewer local business and worker deposits and when Wal-Mart deposits its money at night and withdraws it in the morning?

How long will Wal-Mart remain profitable and open when fewer people have money to spend?

Gross Receipts Taxes

In 1998 Wal-Mart accounted for only 4.6% of the total taxes due Taos from all industries. (NM Taxation & Revenue Dept. and Wal-Mart)

Do we change our land use code because Wal-Mart wants to blanket the country?

What do we say to the hundreds of people who worked three years to produce Vision 20/20 and our land use code?

Do we change our code that would support a local economy of thriving tourist and local-serving businesses,

cottage industries and home businesses, agriculture