Labor groups, others oppose Wal-Mart expansion in Granite City
Steve Nagy/BND
From left: United Congregations of Metro East members Gary Gaines, Saptarshi Ghosh and Brian Schmidt deliver more than 2,500 letters opposing the expansion of the existing Wal-Mart store in Granite City.
News-Democrat
More than 2,500 letters opposing the expansion of the Granite City Wal-Mart were delivered to City Hall Thursday.
The letters represent the anti-Wal-Mart sentiment of the United Congregations of Metro East, Granite City First, area organized labor groups and local businesses.
Granite City economic development director Jonathan Ferry was on hand when the letters were presented, and defended the company.
"Wal-Mart's already existing in the city and also they're not asking for any incentives," Ferry said. "In fact, they're not asking for anything. As long as they abide by the building codes and the zoning laws, which, I'm sure they have every intention of doing, it's no different than somebody who wants to buy property and build a house, as far as the city's concerned."
