Retail Business, Jobs, Taxes and Prices in Taos

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 Taose3os 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 and small sustainable industries
that do not negatively impact the environment?
What do we leave for our children and grandchildren?

Food Prices

Wal-Mart tells shoppers that they have low prices.
However, a comparison of prices between the Taos food stores and the Wal-Mart superstore in Espanola shows:

Meats are up to 91% higher in WM

Fruits and vegetables up to 230% higher in WM

Dairy products up to 16% higher in WM

Beverages up to 31% higher in WM.

Some people from Espanola even come to Taos to shop in SuperSave!

Other Locations

If either the County or the Pueblo were viable locations for Wal-Mart,
wouldn't they have built in either place
in the three years since Vision 20/20 was adopted by the Town Council?