Readers respond

At issue: A special vote on Wal-Mart will include “advisory votes,” a

fact some say would cloud voters’ consideration of the issue.

Letting store in will help consumers

I am for another big store like Wal-Mart to give competition to Kmart

(“Council OKs March vote on Wal-Mart,” Sept. 23).

It seems that Kmart and Target are the only stores in town, and there’s

no competition. Kmart doesn’t have sales like they used to, so I say give

them competition. Put a Wal-Mart in there, and you’ll see the prices

really fluctuate and stuff put out there that people really want instead

of the stuff they want to get rid of.

LARRY PINOLE

Huntington Beach

Don’t muddle ballot initiative with extra votes

When we look at the fact that four City Council people, four individuals,

are allowed to take away the rights of thousands of voting citizens, it

is a terrible injustice.

It is obvious that these four folks want to cloud the issue so that there

is a better chance of a “no” vote and they can push through their pet

project of building a big box store on a public school site.

I believe that the election should be scheduled earlier, either in

December or January, to follow the letter of the law rather than to cloud

the issue with all of these so-called advisory survey votes.

DICK LEGRUE

Huntington Beach

I certainly don’t think there should be other issues on the March ballot.

That would just do away with the reason for the whole thing.

VIRGINIA GEORGE

Huntington Beach

To me it doesn’t matter whether the vote is in January or March. What I

very much disagree with is the council putting any material on the

election at the same time that would sway individuals’ opinions one way

or the other.

Wal-Mart’s fate should be decided on its own, whether it’s in January or

in March. And prior to that vote, the council should never issue city

permits for the building process at Crest View School.

I think it’s outrageous that a school site may be turned into a Wal-Mart

in an area that needs parks. We’ve got a strong Latino population there,

and they need parks, too. I think it’s just outrageous.

I know every time I go back in that area, there are people playing soccer

in the fields. And to think that’s going to be turned into a Wal-Mart or

used for some other private use, rather than private space and park use,

is just disgraceful.

LYNN HEACOX

Huntington Beach

I feel that the City Council, by adding other issues to the ballot, is

trying to change the outcome of the ballot for their own benefit. I don’t

think that’s fair. They should just vote on the one issue: Should Crest

View remain a school or become a Wal-Mart?

I don’t care if they wait until March to do it, but I think they should

do it fairly.

BART WILSON

Huntington Beach

I was surprised that the Independent considered Wal-Mart having 10

supporters in town was newsworthy enough to publish an article about it.

I was also surprised by the statement at the end of the article that a

special election might not be necessary after all, because Wal-Mart

hasn’t decided whether to build the store.

Unless the council adopts Crest View United’s resolution to rezone the

school site, the special election will go forward.

If Wal-Mart isn’t intending to build their store, why are officials from

the Arnell Development Co. down at City Hall trying to pull their

demolition and grading permits?

CONNIE BOARDMAN

Huntington Beach