The benefits of big business
I am responding to Todd Raap (Public Forum, Dec. 17), who thinks I am misguided and who is making claims with no facts and who appears to be living in the past.
There are many businesses in town that are not Minnesota-owned but, like Wal-Mart, are paying their fair share of taxes plus employing a good number of people. If the community had to depend on Minnesota-based companies, many of us would not be employed and our taxes would be off the charts. In my opinion, having big out-of-state businesses in Minnesota benefits everyone.
Raap also mentioned that the next time we have a huge state deficit, let's ask Joe Raines, who shops at a place like this. So you're saying we should not shop at Menards or Home Depot either, because they are not Minnesota-based businesses and stores like Wal-Mart are the reason for these huge state deficits. Nonsense!
Our huge deficits are due to overspending, inflation, the high cost of fuel along with health care. That has nothing to do with businesses like Wal-Mart. Our health care has been in shambles long before Wal-Mart arrived.
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What Raap is telling everyone is we should not look for savings, especially if they are not Minnesota-owned. Talk to the hundreds of Minnesota consumers who travel to St. Cloud to get what they need and even what they can save on. The more big businesses that begin operating in Willmar, the better our community would be, and we the consumers will have more choices instead of overpaying for merchandise or food.
Yes, I do have a concept of economics, but I am not going to beat my head against the wall to know where my tax dollars are going and blame a store you seem to have personal issues with. Comparisons only tell you that yes, more people are shopping at Wal-Mart. Ask yourself why. Savings!
By the way, who is Todd Raap? I think he is a person who can't get out of the past and accept what the current status of our economy is.
Joe Raines
Willmar
