Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Wal-Mart committee vote has been delayed.

The City Council vote on that Wal-Mart in Pullman has been delayed:
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will have to wait at least another month to find out how the City Council’s Zoning Committee feels about its proposal to build a second store in the city.

The 14-member Zoning Committee on Wednesday postponed its vote on whether to rezone land in Pullman Park to allow a combined grocery and general merchandise Wal-Mart. The big-box retailer would anchor a 270-acre mixed-use development.
More from the Sun-Times:
At the behest of organized labor, the Chicago City Council Zoning Committee put off a scheduled vote today on Wal-Mart expansion.

Union leaders urged their City Council allies on Tuesday to put off today's showdown vote on Wal-Mart's planned Chicago expansion after their unprecedented closed-door meeting with the world's largest retailer established a much-needed "dialogue."
...
But, Chicago Federation of Labor President Dennis Gannon, secretary-treasurer Jorge Ramirez and Ron Powell, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 881, apparently felt there was enough groundwork laid during their Monday night meeting with Wal-Mart to continue negotiations.

"If there's serious talks taking place, it's not a good thing to have a vote. That could jeopardize the talks," said Ald. Joe Moore (49th), chief sponsor of the big box-minimum wage ordinance buried by Mayor Daley's 2006 veto.

"We've waited this long. We can wait a little longer. It's in everyone's best interests that there be a compromise."

A Zoning Committee member, who asked to remain anonymous, added, "The unions want to hold off. Wal-Mart wants to go ahead, but they don't have the numbers."
The next vote will be on June 3rd according to Crain's.

Progress Illinois has a video up of Ald. Beale talking about the proposed Wal-Mart in the 9th. He was on FOX Chicago last night.
Of course PI reminds us about a recent post from the Chicago Reader's Clout Street that I had posted here last Friday.

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