In August, debate sparked among Naperville Patch readers after Naperville City Council members voted unanimously to adopt a resolution that will give Walmart a sales tax incentive to relocate within the city.
Under the incentive, Walmart receives a sales tax rebate of $1.75 million over the course of 10 years to build a new supercenter at 75th Street and Beebe Drive.
After City Council members approved the final plans for the proposed Walmart Supercenter Tuesday, we asked the following question on the Naperville Patch Facebook page:
Do you think 75th Street and Beebe (across from Whole Foods) is a good location to put in a new Walmart?
The question generated a number of different, and passionate, responses from readers. Many are concerned about the added traffic a large retail store like Walmart will bring to the intersection while others believe it will help the local economy.
Here's what they had to say:
Deanna T: Thank god that one on 59 is closing- it is horrendous. It's dirty and needed some tlc!
Colleen: Yes, i'm excited I can shop locally instead of giving tax revenue to Plainfield!
Cathy: BAD idea. I don't like that Naperville gave them huge tax breaks worth millions to keep them.
Rich: Frankly, without consideration of the property they currently use and the tax break they don't need, I'd say no way.
Angela: No! It's too busy over there already, and I wouldn't use a Walmart in any case. Blech.
Jennifer: This is a shame! I need to move.
Deanna K.: What's To be done with the old building? I don't like vacant buildings. They also better change the light at Beebe as well the protected left is horrible!!!
Susan: Fantastic idea...creates jobs, not everyone in Naperville have their noses so high up in the air and don't cringe at the thought of working at Walmart. As far as the traffic goes, let's be real people, all of Naperville sucks when it comes to traffic.
What's your take on the issue? Is 75th Street and Beebe Drive an ideal location for a new Walmart Supercenter?
Gerard Schilling
7:01 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012
The tax they don't pay we will pay. When will this crony capitolism stop?
Jim Smith
11:44 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012
Gerard said, "The tax they don't pay we will pay."
False logic.
If WMT relocates 1/4 mile west into the city of Aurora, how much sales tax would they generate for Naperville?
mike
4:20 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
Jim Smith, how much sales tax will be LOST due to declining sales at other nearby stores? If you are going to play that angle, you have to go all the way with it.
Of course, Walmart will use the threat that those lost sales are inevitable since they'll just build one town over, but the impact would surely be somewhat less. This is the game they play. I'd be willing to let them go right ahead. I don't think Aurora is a model we want to emulate.
Janice Lindegard
10:25 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012
How is the tax issue structured? What will happen with the existing WalMart? Do we really want another empty, ugly "big box"? Like the former Kmart building just around the corner on Ogden? Where will the run-off created by paving over an area that is currently planted go? The Whole Foods parking lot is at least partially permeable. I have real doubts that WalMart, with it's insistence on cost cutting, will do the same. There are so many questions and I haven't seen an answer to any of them.
Jim Smith
11:46 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012
Janice asked, "What will happen with the existing WalMart?"
What difference does that make?
WMT currently leases the building. They ARE going to move anyway and we can't force them to stay. They wanted to own a larger store.
They could move to Aurora instead of Naperville.
Marcy
2:41 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012
I guess since they blackmailed Naperville nto giving them a tax break, the city didn't have a choice. I don't like Walmart, and don't agree with their politics or business practices, and wouldn't go there if they were giving things away. This just confirms it. Big tax breaks for corporations that are rolling in money and take advantage of their employees. Shop at Costco instead.
Jim Smith
12:44 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
Costco and Wal-Mart are in different market segments. Costco is warehouse sales and Wal-Mart stores are retail.
Possibly you might better say, "Shop at Costco instead of Sam's Club."
Beytier Von Hugh
8:23 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012
This i typcuial Walmart. They play communities against each other all over the country so that they don't have to pay to build a store! Oswego is suing their Walmart because the sales tax projections they were given assumed Walmart wouldn't build another store nearby (diff town). Surprise - they did and the sales tax numbers were essentially split between the stores.
It's a system Walmart uses amazingly well and communities don't have a way to get out of it. Esp since they don't band together and set a united front against such mega corporations.
Jim Smith
12:45 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
Maybe corporations should band together against mega-governments.
kathy
9:04 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012
Walmart is a terrible choice for the property. They have bad business practises and push for all the tax breaks so we all pay to make up for it. They stomp out the small businesses also. I had a small business at one time and the superstores were one of the reasons for closing down. They are ruthless and the corporate office is to far removed from the location to care about local communities.
Jim Smith
1:20 pm on Saturday, October 6, 2012
Business evolution is a fact of life.
mike
4:11 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
Jim Smith, we don't live in a laissez-faire society. There's no reason to encourage harmful business practices. If a business evolves into something we don't like, then blocking it is perfectly viable.
John Damusis
1:35 pm on Sunday, October 7, 2012
Crime will increase in this area . Walmart is business destroyer but our council did not see it that way . They also have very little pride to keep the store lookng neat . The current one is dump and the new one will follow suit.
Jim Smith
1:38 pm on Sunday, October 7, 2012
Let me guess - you just don't like Wal-Mart? Is it because they are non-union?
If you don't like to shop there, then don't.
Jim Smith
2:13 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
"Crime will increase in this area."
Currently that plot of land is vacant except for a pile of topsoil, some birds, weeds, and various other flora and fauna. So when people show up, of COURSE the crime rate will increase.
Do you have any evidence to support your theory that Wal-Mart generates more crime per capita and customer visit than other retail stores?
mike
2:39 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
Jim Smith, do you live in Naperville? I ask because you don't seem to care about the documented negative impact Walmarts have on their surroundings. If you don't actually live in Naperville, you probably shouldn't comment on the matter.
mike
2:37 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
Why would we incentivize them? They don't create THAT many jobs, especially considering that Walmarts typically cause competitors' jobs to be lost around them. Who's getting a kickback here?
Honestly, we don't need this thing or the traffic mess it will likely create. Yes, Naperville traffic is already bad. Why make it WORSE?
Are we *trying* to emulate Bolingbrook? Is it a bad thing to want Naperville to not suck?
mike
4:16 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012
I also propose that no new large retail space, Walmart or otherwise, should be allowed anywhere in that vicinity (unless replacing an old one) until Route 59 is expanded. While such expansion may seem almost inconceivable given the atrocious building planning along there, the bottom line is it is beyond maxed out already traffic-wise.
All of this trickles down to our property values. Traffic matters.
Jim Smith
6:08 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
mike, would you prefer that some other town got the sales tax revenue?
Jim Smith
6:11 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
mike said: "Jim Smith, do you live in Naperville? I ask because you don't seem to care about the documented negative impact Walmarts have on their surroundings. "
Yes, I do live in Naperville.
And I see no big difference between having a Wal-Mart and two dozen small retailers that a struggling to stay in business - and charge higher prices, don't offer health care to their employees, and don't offer career paths to their employees either.
I was smart enough NOT to buy next to an area zoned for commercial/retail use.
Jim Smith
6:13 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
mike said: "Jim Smith, how much sales tax will be LOST due to declining sales at other nearby stores? "
First, you assume that the sales tax will be lost at other stores. That's not valid. A lot of people shop at Wal-Mart already, so THAT sales tax would definitely be lost if they move.
Second, why should consumers be forced to pay higher prices and have less selection? Forcing people to buy only from small stores (with higher prices) is a form of tax.
Jim Smith
7:10 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
mike said: "Jim Smith, we don't live in a laissez-faire society. There's no reason to encourage harmful business practices. If a business evolves into something we don't like, then blocking it is perfectly viable."
I like Wal-Mart, but I don't like your employer or any company that employs any of your family or friends. So I guess we should ban those employers too.