Shoppers stage rally

Adrienne Packer

Friday, Oct. 15, 1999 | 11:17 a.m.

As the owner of a small computer shop, the last store Tom Johnson wants to see open its doors near his business is a mega-retail center.

But on Thursday afternoon, Johnson dropped by the Wal-Mart on Rainbow Boulevard to sign a petition asking Clark County commissioners to repeal an ordinance that bans "big box" retail stores that sell groceries.

The ordinance emerged shortly after Wal-Mart announced plans to build a Supercenter, which combines a fully stocked grocery store with its traditional retail center, in the northwest.

"I don't shop at Wal-Mart," Johnson said. "But our society was built on competition, and we need to learn to live with it."

Johnson was one of hundreds of residents who showed up Thursday to support the petition drive sponsored by "Citizens for Competition" and KXNT 840 AM. Signatures came from Democrats, Republicans, Wal-Mart shoppers and those who despise the retail giant.

They put their philosophical differences aside to deliver a strong message to commissioners: The board members' 3-2 decision to ignore free enterprise and protect unions was unacceptable.

"I think they're all crooks," said resident Jim Moulds, who admitted that he and his wife, Kathy, had never before bothered to attend rallies or petition drives. "I've never heard of any political body negotiating for the union."

Moulds' comments aimed at the three "yes" votes -- commissioners Erin Kenny, Yvonne Atkinson Gates and Myrna Williams -- were mild compared to those made by KXNT disc jockey Alan Stock.

Stock, who had as guests Commissioner Lance Malone and Republican assembly members Bob Beers and Sandra Tiffany, repeatedly referred to Atkinson Gates, Williams and Kenny as the "three witches."

Stock also fired up the crowd that gathered around his tent by suggesting that the three board members be recalled.

Further fueling the seething crowd was word that Clark County filed legal action against Wal-Mart. The court document filed Thursday asks a district judge to rule that Wal-Mart cannot develop two of its properties because its design plans do not conform with the new ordinance.

The ordinance bans stores larger than 110,000 square feet that devote more than 7,500 square feet to groceries.

While commissioners have maintained the law was passed to prevent traffic problems, Kenny, who introduced the ordinance, has repeatedly brought up Wal-Mart's benefits package and its adverse effect on small businesses.

Critics believe the ordinance targeted Wal-Mart because the store is nonunion.

Wal-Mart had completed its application process for two stores on North Nellis Boulevard and Serene Avenue and was prepared to begin construction when the county filed its petition Thursday.

"We are outraged," said Daphne Davis, a Wal-Mart community affairs coordinator based at the company's Bentonville, Ark., headquarters. "These are properties we have invested a great deal of money in."

The company has yet to file a lawsuit against the county.

While Wal-Mart representatives attended Thursday's rally, the company tried to distance itself from the event. And many in attendance admitted they weren't as concerned about Wal-Mart as they were about the ordinance's effect on popular stores like Costco Wholesale.

Despite what some county officials have said, the ordinance stops Costco's plans to open new stores in the Las Vegas Valley.

The average size of the warehouse membership store is 152,000 square feet and significantly more than 7,500 square feet are dedicated to grocery items, according to Costco Vice President Roger Peterson.

In a letter to the commission, Peterson says the ordinance punishes stores that have proven to be good neighbors. The average wage paid to Costco employees in Las Vegas is $15.80 an hour, including a full benefits package.

Costco has more than 236,000 members, 36 percent of which are small businesses.

Atkinson Gates, who along with Williams has spent much of the week at the Nevada Association of Counties conference, emphasized Thursday that the ordinance does not ban Wal-Mart or Costco.

Ironically, hosting a Wednesday evening dinner for Atkinson Gates -- the outgoing president of the association -- was none other than Wal-Mart.

Atkinson Gates said the law simply requires companies to build smaller stores. She said if Wal-Mart doesn't want to build a smaller Supercenter, it could construct a separate grocery store.

To force the commission to reconsider the ordinance, Citizens for Competition must collect 27,760 signatures -- 10 percent of the people who voted during the last election.

Dan Burdish, former executive director of the Nevada Republican Party and a member of Citizens for Competition, called Thursday's rally a success. He said 1,442 people signed petitions. Within the next two weeks, volunteers will begin walking door-to-door circulating the petitions.