To the editor,
You say that a Wal-Mart in Downtown Brooklyn is a good idea, but the feelings of Brooklynites — and the facts — say otherwise (“Dreaming of Wal-Mart,” editorial, June 14).
“Everyday low prices” don’t come in a vacuum. Wal-Mart keeps goods cheap by paying substandard wages and benefits, forcing their manufacturers to do the same by demanding ever-lower costs, and bypassing local suppliers.
As for The Brooklyn Paper’s view that urban Wal-Marts don’t bring the negative economic impacts that are well documented in the suburbs: a 2006 study in Chicago showed that the city’s first Wal-Mart caused business closures and reduced retail activity in the surrounding area. Twenty-three out of 191 retail businesses in the vicinity of the superstore closed within a year, while retail sales data showed a significant loss in sales for area businesses.
Of course, we want to help low-income New Yorkers afford to live in New York. But we would do better to support good jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities.
When you scratch the surface, the cost of Wal-Mart is just too great.
Vicki Weiner, Fort Greene
The writer is director of Planning and Preservation for the Pratt Center forCommunity Development.
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To the editor,
It’s too bad that Wal-Mart has been prohibited by our elected officials from joining Ikea in opening its own first store in New York City.
Wal-Mart announced earlier this year that it will be transferring employees along with expanding its business offices to New York City. Last fall, the company reduced the price of over 16,000 back-to-school clothing items and supplies for kids. Parents of schoolchildren should be happy. Previously, the company started offering generic drugs for only $4.
Sadly, city residents are unable to get these bargains, as Wal-Mart has been unable to open any stores within the five boroughs. The situation is so bad that taxpayer dollars have been provided to Bronx senior citizens for vans to shuttle them one hour to the nearest Wal-Mart in the Hudson Valley!
Public opinion polls have consistently shown that New Yorkers would welcome the opportunity to shop at Wal-Mart, so it is time to allow the store the chance to compete in the New York City marketplace. Let consumers, rather than politicians, make the decision about what to buy and where to shop.
Larry Penner, Great Neck, N.Y.
Union brawl
To the editor,
Your article about the Union Hall bar fight (“‘Union’ splits board,” online update, May 12) reported some misinformation that was greatly disturbing.
First, I never called 911 to report Union Hall to the authorities. It was a 311 call that our Buildings Department encouraged me to make nightly, until the bar’s “load capacity permit,” which the department told us was expired, was updated.
My call happened one and a half hours before the authorities actually showed up — when the bar was quite crowded and there was a performance going on downstairs.
The fire chief who showed up that night never expressed concern that I had made a false call. Indeed, he assured me that he and his team would not have come had there been a more important emergency.
And why did I do this? Because in all meetings with politicos and State Liquor Authority officials, we were told that the only thing they’re allowed to respond to, by law, is infractions. And we were encouraged to do all we can to see that they authorities are made aware of problems, even those that were quality-of-life issues. We intend to continue that effort.
What we need now is for your paper to fully report this issue. Your bias in favor of the bar is apparent.
Jon Crow, Park Slope
Horse attitudes
To the editor,
Thank you for reporting on the ill-maintained bridle path in Prospect Park (“They hurt horses, don’t they?” June 7). If dog lovers, of which I am one, had no other choice but to walk our beloved pets on these same sharp stones and treacherous footing, you can bet your bottom dollar the Prospect Park Alliance would have done something about it, pronto!
Horses deserve equal respect, care, love and attention. But it is unacceptable that Alliance President Tupper Thomas said fixing the path is a low priority. Does she realize that her attitude is not just endangering the horses, but the safety of the thousands of park users, many of whom enjoy a recreational trail ride on the bridle path? It is insincere of her to say she is sympathetic to horses and riders — actions speak louder than words.
Millions of dollars are spent on the upkeep and beautification of Prospect Park by the Prospect Park Alliance, but in the seven years I have been riding in the park, I have never seen attention properly allotted to repair a mere three miles of bridle path.
My heart melts at the sight of children’s eyes lighting up and their gleeful shouts of “a horse, a horse!” as these magnificently beautiful animals pass by on the bridle path. These animals contribute greatly to the unique, rustic charm of Prospect Park and concern for their safety should be treated seriously.
Mary Lum, Park Slope
Crime retort
To the editor,
In your article, “‘Hill’ Street blues” (June 7), you mischaracterized my concern about a recent increase in muggings and property crimes in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. The reporter wrote that long-term residents of the neighborhood, such as Ursula Hegewisch, were not too worried about this year’s uptick in robberies and burglaries because crime has fallen drastically compared to the early 1990s.
Well, I am Ursula Hegewisch and here is what I believe: For the most part, Fort Greene is a very safe neighborhood. But it would be absurd to assert that because crime levels are lower now than they were in the 1990s, one shouldn’t be concerned about an increase in crime.
I believe that neighborhood organizations like the Fort Greene Association play an important role in addressing neighborhood crime, whether working with our precinct, block associations, churches and our local politicians or advocating on behalf of our youth to support or replace valuable after-school and summer programs many of which are disappearing, due in part to budget cuts.
Neighborhood crime is a complex issue that must be taken seriously regardless of comparative statistics.
Ursula Hegewisch, Fort Greene
The writer is chairwoman of the Fort Greene Association
Coney baloney
To the editor,
The decision to trim the annual hot dog-eating championship from 12 minutes to 10 is just a ploy by organizers to give back the title to Takeru Kobayashi (“Call off the dogs,” June 16).
Everyone knows that Joey Chestnut is a better late-round eater, so this decision to put the contest on a diet is equivalent of playing only a seven-inning baseball game because your team has a terrible closer.
Alex Holdsworth, Park Slope
