City Council will not make Wal-Mart study the impact it will
have on the Gilroy economy when the nation
’s largest chain store brings a Supercenter version of its store
to town.
GILROY – City Council will not make Wal-Mart study the impact it will have on the Gilroy economy when the nation’s largest chain store brings a Supercenter version of its store to town.
Council voted down, 4-3, Monday a request to consider making Wal-Mart do an economic impact report showing the harm or benefit the 220,000-square-foot store would bring to the economic condition of the community. The decision could make it more difficult for City Council to deny Wal-Mart from moving into the Pacheco Pass Shopping Center at Highway 152 and U.S. 101 and out of its existing store on Arroyo Circle.
By meeting’s end, Councilman Peter Arellano broached the topic, asking City Council to place on a future agenda a request that the Wal-Mart project be forced to go through an economic review that would analyze things such as changes in sales tax revenue and affect on existing businesses.
As with the environmental impact report Wal-Mart is voluntarily conducting, the company would foot the bill for the economic study.
Voting for the economic impact report were Arellano, Charlie Morales and Roland Velasco. Opposed to making Wal-Mart study its impact to local businesses were Mayor Tom Springer, Bob Dillon, Craig Gartman and Al Pinheiro.
