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New Wal-Mart could boost existing local businesses

My hat is off for the courage displayed by the Tarpon Springs commissioners who voted yes to allow the Wal-Mart project to proceed in spite of the stiff opposition - much of it from people who do not even live in our community.

I believe this store will bring in many new customers to Tarpon Springs and that local businesses will prosper rather than have their business base eroded. I do not anticipate this store will impact my spending in Tarpon Springs businesses, including grocery stores. Rather, I anticipate it will bring a large percentage of spending I do outside of the community back into Tarpon Springs.

I encourage city officials to be diligent in assuring there are adequate provisions and barriers to maintain the beauty of the river area, minimize the impact on neighbors, and be environmentally friendly. Help to make this new business a focal point of community pride instead of just another ugly big box.

There is no reason why this project should tarnish the unique ambience of Tarpon Springs, which is why we selected this community to settle in.

Wal-Mart patrons "sell their souls to the company store'

It is very disheartening to see Mayor Beverley Billiris and the commissioners of Tarpon Springs "sell their souls to the company store." Wal-Mart's obsession to coat the American countryside with its "big box" stores continues unabated, as the very people who abjectly complain about the loss of jobs in this country continue to patronize Wal-Mart.

This was supposed to be a Tarpon Springs meeting, yet the commissioners allowed nonvoters, paid by Wal-Mart, to attend and speak while Tarpon Springs voters fought for an opportunity to be heard.

The communities that have fought Wal-Mart and won are few and far between, but there have been some far-sighted cities that have held the line. The American dream of success for the entrepreneur should not be allowed to be perverted by the Wal-Mart billionaire family whose conquest of this country's retail economy will eventually lead to their having the option of Wal-Mart determining the price for every consumer product in this country.

Indeed, everyone who patronizes Wal-Mart is selling their soul to the company store.

Proposed offer of free land would come at great cost to Oldsmar

Re: Offer developer free land, Oldsmar urged, story, Jan. 20.

Wow, free land, public land! The old SouthTrust Bank site was bought by the city for $660,000 with taxpayers' money and a bank loan. So the price after the loan is paid off will be more than $800,000.

Oldsmar is not giving away just $300,000. It is much more. Still sound like a good business decision? Not if you live in Oldsmar!

Clearwater may want to consider moratorium on condo projects

Re: Clearwater City Council's rejection of a building moratorium for a section of Clearwater Beach.

Seven condominium projects are planned between Drew Street and Edgewater Drive in the Old Clearwater Bay neighborhood. Since the moratorium is not going to be used for the beach, maybe the city would consider a moratorium in this area.

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[Last modified January 23, 2005, 00:14:21]