Updated: July 7th, 2011
Elected Officials
"Walmart wants to come here and provide union construction jobs and permanent positions that offer pay wages equal to or higher than many of their competitors, and allow people to save substantially on their grocery bills. Why should my constituents - many of whom are on fixed incomes - pay more for a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread? It's not the job of politicians or special interests groups, especially in today's economy, to block economic development."City Councilman Eric Ulrich
"And as far as I can tell, my neighborhood has no problem with it. We are not supposed to be giving our stamp of approval or disapproval to businesses. That's not our job."
City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr.
"We have half-a-million people who need another choice of where to shop. [Walmart] will create jobs."
Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro
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Community Stakeholders
"We need jobs in our communities. We need affordable places to shop close to home. We need partners to support our neighborhood charities. And we want our voices to be heard by decision makers who claim to represent us. We welcome Walmart in New York City because they are willing to be part of the solution. It is time we support solutions and stop turning businesses away"
Dr. Hazel N. Dukes, President of the NAACP NYS Conference
"I fully support Walmart building stores in New York City. It would mean a possible job for those seeking work, and it would mean lower prices for consumers who are trying to stretch their paychecks to make ends meet. We should let individuals decide for themselves where they shop and spend their money."
Phil Banks, 100 Black Men of NY
"Our community can surely benefit from Walmart coming to NYC. We are in need of fresh produce and the high unemployment rate amongst people of color screams for the much needed job opportunities Walmart has to offer!"
Tony Herbert, community activist
"We plan to make sure that Walmart and the economic recovery ideas it represents comes into our community and starts to solve a very important problem, which is jobs. Let Walmart in the door so that our families can eat from the economic recovery that this will create for NY."
Reginald Bowman, NYCHA Tenants Association, Brooklyn
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Columnists
• Crains NY: The Story Behind Walmart's Plan to Enter NYC• New York Post: Trouble in 'store' - yet City Council fights jobs
• Crains NY: Mayor Sends a Message to Walmart Foes
• Crains NY: The Day After the Walmart Hearing
• Crains NY:Walmart: Reading the Tea Leaves
• Crains NY: A Cheat Sheet for Walmart Hearing
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Featured Commentary on the $5 million summer giving announcement
"Walmart's generous donation creates the most job slots the Summer Youth Employment Program has ever raised with private money. This timely investment in our city's youth comes at a moment when many young people are struggling to find employment and will give thousands the opportunity to take that critical first step toward their career goals."Mayor Michael Bloomberg
"Young Brooklynites, particularly those in Central Brooklyn, are ready, willing and able to get the job done - all they need is the opportunity. When we help youth find jobs through programs like the City's Summer Youth Employment Program and Summer H.E.A.T, which my office organizes, we make an important investment in our kids by improving their self-esteem, teaching them the value of hard work and giving them real skills for when they enter the adult workforce. So kudos to Walmart for not just improving the lives of thousands of kids today - but helping them realize their dreams tomorrow."
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz
"I'd like to thank Walmart for this generous $4 million investment in New York City's future. This is a lot of money, even for a large corporation, and it is being put to good use supporting thousands of city teens in their first foray in the workforce. I have always supported the Summer Youth Employment Program and encouraged kids in my district to apply, and I would like to thank Walmart for ensuring that more of them are placed this summer."
City Council Minority Leader James Oddo
"I would like to thank Walmart for partnering with New York City and saving thousands of summer jobs for our young people. As we all know, the Summer Youth Employment Program provides an excellent opportunity for businesses to not only have great energetic workers, but to also give young people real-world work experience, networking opportunities and career lessons about New York City businesses. I hope that more corporations will follow and invest in the future work force of New York City. I also want to thank Mayor Bloomberg for his work with Walmart to ensure that the youth of our city are engaged in positive work-related activities during the summer."
City Councilman Peter Koo
"In today's economy, it's hard to find a job. Thanks to Walmart's generous donation, thousands of teenagers and young adults will be able to make a little extra money this summer. Walmart is setting a fine example by helping keep our kids off the streets and giving back to the community."
City Councilman Eric UIrich
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Editorials
• New York Observer: Why not Walmart?• The Queens Courier: The Case for Walmart
• New York Daily News: Selective Outrage of Walmart's Politically Correct Foes is on Display in Case of New Supermarkets
• New York Post: Council Job Killing Part Two
• Queens Chronicle: It's Only Fair to Welcome Walmart (PDF)
• The West Side Spirit: Let Free Market Work in City
• New York Daily News: Council Speaker Christine Quinn's much-ballyhooed anti-Walmart hearing failed to deliver the goods
• Crains New York: End the Walmart Witch Hunt
• New York Daily News: Easier to take pols' anti-Walmart activism seriously if city pension plans owned less of its stock
• New York Post: New Yorkers Love Walmart (PDF)
• New York Daily News: Walmart must be given the same opportunity to operate in New York as any other retailer
• Crains New York: A Tale of Two Retailers PDF
Opinion
• New York Daily News: A Brooklyn pastor explains why he welcomes the low prices and jobs• New York Daily News: Walmart's been a boon to Chicago: An alderwoman says she's seen it with her own eyes
• New York Daily News: Walmart CEO says New York needs to give residents a chance at low prices
• Huffington Post: No Pushing New Yorkers Around, Walmart Welcome in Big Apple
• New York Daily News: New York should learn to love Walmart: The low-cost retailer is good for the nation's priciest city
• El Diaro: Como impacta Walmart a las comunidades
• Wall Street Journal: Walmart Bids to Break Into Gotham
• Commercial Observer: Wal-Mart and the Lesson of Betamax
• New York Daily News (BK Section): Save us the excuses and let's start saving at City Walmart
• Queens Chronicle: Walmart would benefit, not harm, city residents
• Queens Courier: Will Walmart Come to the Big Apple in 2011?
• New York Post: Wishing for Walmart
• YourNabe.com: Bringing Walmart to the City Will Benefit Residents
• Queens Chronicle: Walmart Would Benefit, Not Harm, City Residents
