The Limits of Localism
The Limits of Localism
I took a drive from Helena to Bozeman this week to do a little sight-seeing. Bozeman is one of the fastest growing cities in Montana, and there are certainly problems that come with that distinction.
Exhibit A is the influx of big box stores like Wal-Mart that are becoming a bigger problem for the local community. The Bozeman City Council has been looking at ways to make the company pay for the economic and environmental costs it often imposes on its host community (for more, see this previous post).
According to the Associated Press, the Bozeman City Council “currently has a moratorium on any retail store more than 75,000 square feet in size” and the only way retailers can exceed the limit is by agreeing to fork over cash to the city government that is then used to offset potential economic impacts of their stores.
This commonsense policy seems straightforward. The only problem is, Wal-Mart and its well-connected allies have made the argument that the policy illegally discriminates against big box stores. And, as a new report shows, without a strong state or federal law empowering Bozeman and other communities to stand up to Wal-Mart, it’s possible the mega-store could win that argument in court, and effectively undermine the city council’s ability to regulate the company.
This quandary is a perfect example of why issues surrounding Wal-Mart cannot be wholly solved only at the local level. The company is so powerful, and its reach so pervasive, it requires strong state and federal laws governing its conduct and backing up local regulations. Montana is considering such a state law. Will Washington, D.C. politicians pay attention and follow suit, or will they continue to pocket Wal-Mart’s campaign cash and look the other way?
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Sounds like a job for the Boxer Rebellion! Also, Montana is on the right track in debating the statewide law. Let’s hope that the state law passes, and that congress gets moving!
March 1st, 2005 at 8:27 amWalmart only succeeds because people shop thier stores because they think that it says a lot of money. The truth is that in 90% of the items you do not save any money by going to Walmart. When people start paying attention and realize that they save money by shopping locally because local stores have better sales. I can go to my local grocery at 7:00 on any weekday morning and by the meat from the day before at 50% of the regular price and it is much much better meat. I can by cat food on sale for 22 cents a can. I get 300% better produce at the local store than I even can at Walmart and in fact Walmart has the very worst produce I have ever seen a grocery department carry. I can go on line at ebay and buy anything that Walmart has for at least 20% less. It takes a little effort and work but if you are really interested in saving money, Walmart is not the place to shop. This combined with what Walmart does to its employees, what Walmart has done to the mom and pop stores and to the ecomnomy of the community I think everyone should boycot Walmart until they have to close up. Anyone who thinks Walmart has better quality at lower prices is only kidding themselves. My husband is a paint contractor and many of his costumer’s think Walmart paint is just as good as any paint you can buy. He had done a sample of Walmart paint and several other top brand paint on a piece of siding and left it outside in the weather. If someone wants to use Walmart paint, he shows them the sample and they immediately tell him they want the other brand. He himself will not go to Walmart for anything. If he cannot find what he wants here he will drive someplace else until he does find it.
March 1st, 2005 at 10:34 amYea but I suspect that our current congress would move to supress states rights in this situation.
What ever happened to the Republican prinicple of local control?
March 1st, 2005 at 10:34 amkindness: It is and always was just talk, just like any other Republican principle.
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June 28th, 2005 at 1:16 pmIt is stores like Wal-mart that cause poverty to grow and the rich to get richer sure Wal-mart has good prices but what your buying is garbage. the way they get there deals they will go to a supplier and the supplier will do buisness them sign a contract it’s Wal-mart right so they keep comming back for there product and there company will grow so they think however when the contract is up Wal-mart will come back and want there product cheaper but these companies can’t sell it for cheaper and Wal-mart will walk away effectively causing the company to go bankrupt because they dont have the money to keep there place functioning. Ruining peoples live that’s all Wal-Mart does. Another think is that they claim to employ all these people but if you ask the people who work there they’ll say they work like slaves and get paid in turds. So Im all for Boycotting Wal-Mart as i have been for years. i wont even set foot in one of those Crapy-Mart box stores if my life depended on it. i encourage all to follow because if Wal-mart is not stopped they’ll have full controll of all retail pricing and you wont be looking for those deals any more, for there will not be any good deals to look for.
July 11th, 2005 at 7:57 pmnot to worry
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