San Diego Mayor Plans to Veto Anti-Wal-Mart Supercenter Ban
SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- The mayor of San Diego plans to veto a city council decision to bar retailers from opening mega stores, aimed at preventing Wal-Mart Stores Inc. from opening a supercenter here.
The council's 5-3 vote would prevent retailers from opening stores exceeding 90,000 square feet with 10 percent of the space to sell groceries. It was a move directed at Wal-Mart, according to published reports.
Wal-Mart's plans to build its Supercenters in California have increasingly come under fire from local officials, responding to pleas for help from supermarkets, smaller stores, and unions.
Mayor Sanders believes the decision will hurt revenue to the city and is not fair for consumers, according to spokesperson Fred Sainz. He also expects the city council to override his veto.
If the council overrides a veto, the ban could end up before San Diego voters. Wal-Mart would need signatures from only five percent of registered San Diego voters to place a measure against the ban on the local ballot. While Wal-Mart said such a move was an option, it said it was too early in the process to seriously consider it.
The council's 5-3 vote would prevent retailers from opening stores exceeding 90,000 square feet with 10 percent of the space to sell groceries. It was a move directed at Wal-Mart, according to published reports.
Wal-Mart's plans to build its Supercenters in California have increasingly come under fire from local officials, responding to pleas for help from supermarkets, smaller stores, and unions.
Mayor Sanders believes the decision will hurt revenue to the city and is not fair for consumers, according to spokesperson Fred Sainz. He also expects the city council to override his veto.
If the council overrides a veto, the ban could end up before San Diego voters. Wal-Mart would need signatures from only five percent of registered San Diego voters to place a measure against the ban on the local ballot. While Wal-Mart said such a move was an option, it said it was too early in the process to seriously consider it.