Opposition to Wal-Mart

* Re “Wal-Mart’s Plan for Huntington Stirs Lengthy Public Debate,” Dec. 15:

Wal-Mart is now expanding into the metropolitan area. They typically bought land in undesirable areas and put up the big box. They have not paid more than $17 per square foot. Despite the higher prices in the urban area, Wal-Mart refuses to pay the legitimate fair market rate for property.

In the city of San Gabriel, Wal-Mart tried to displace the 75-year-old San Gabriel Nursery and Florist. Over 19,000 citizens signed petitions against Wal-Mart, and the attempt failed.

Unknown to the citizens, the city was going to return all the sales tax revenue back to Wal-Mart as an incentive to build a box in San Gabriel.

Citizens of Huntington Beach should ask the City Council what kind of tax break Wal-Mart is getting to build in Huntington Beach. Wal-Mart has leased property before; if the site fails, they just move out, leaving an ugly big box.

RICHARD FUJITA

Huntington Beach