Big Business--BAD.

Retailers like Macy’s, Home Depot, Walmart, Lowe’s and Target are not wanted in Washington DC. DC City Council has passed a law that will cost jobs. Walmart has approximately 400 employees in each store.  DC just voted to throw away at least 1200 jobs. And could possibly lose another 1200 if Walmart halts construction. The DC Council says “We’re at a point where we don’t need retailers. Retailers need us.”

The DC Council just passed the “Large Retailer Accountability Act,” which would require “large retailers” — defined as businesses operating an indoor store of at least 75,000 square feet and whose corporate parent has sales of at least $1 billion — to pay wages no lower than $11.75 per hour plus, benefits. That “living wage” would be indexed to the local consumer price index every year. 

Walmart said they would not start the construction of 3 stores, and will see about halting the construction of three others, if the council passed the law. They passed it. The jobs eliminated include all the future Walmart employees. The jobs created by the construction are gone. The jobs of the those who supply the materials are curtailed. Walmart donated 3.8 million to local charities in DC. Will they continue to give in an area where they are not wanted? Also lost to DC, the the sales taxes on average store sales of $96,000,000 per year.