By Suzan Clarke
The Journal News
(Original Publication: December 4, 2006)

MONSEY - Scores of people rallied outdoors next to the site of a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter on Route 59 yesterday, vocalizing their opposition to the project with speeches, cheers and a chant whose pithy lyrics lambasted the retail giant.

"Wal-Mart! Wal-Mart! You're no good/We don't want you in our neighborhood/Go back to Bentonville, go back quick/We don't like you, you make us sick," the crowd sang out, led by Harvey Whille, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1262, which represents about 32,000 supermarket workers in the area.

The protest by union members, politicians and residents was organized by the Neighborhood Retail Alliance, a Manhattan-based coalition that has advocated for small businesses and led a successful effort to stop a proposed Wal-Mart in Queens.

The development would be on the 22-acre site of the former Rockland Drive-In Theater. The 215,000-square-foot store would have a supermarket, a gas station, a tire and lube service area and nearly 1,000 parking spots. It could provide 500 jobs, the developer, National Realty & Development Corp. of Purchase, has said.

But detractors repeated their concerns yesterday that the store would bring more traffic to the already congested two-lane section of Route 59. Some said that was particularly worrisome for members of the Orthodox Jewish community who walk there on the Sabbath.

A traffic engineer hired by the alliance said as many as 3 million vehicles a year would visit the site.

Protesters also said the store could put surrounding small businesses out of commission.

A spokeswoman for the Bentonville, Ark.- based Wal-Mart said yesterday that the company always worked with local municipalities to minimize traffic concerns.

"Oftentimes we will do things such as pay for lights or certainly work with them on different entrances, so that we can make sure that people are safe coming in and out of the building," Melissa O'Brien said.

O'Brien called the criticism that small businesses would be unable to compete with Wal-Mart a "myth."

Wal-Mart retail stores "actually bring increased customer flow to small businesses in the areas, and so there are a number of studies that can show that we do have a positive impact not only on jobs … but also on other business," O'Brien noted. "And certainly, too, a lot of specialty stores often look to locate around the Wal-Mart store because they know that they can often thrive on the customer flow that we bring into the area."

County Legislator Ellen Jaffee, D-Suffern, vowed to pursue the issue when she starts her new job as a state assemblywoman next month.

Saying she had "great objection to Wal-Mart in general," Jaffee said that if this particular one were to be built, the increased traffic could pollute the air and lead to respiratory problems.

Jaffee said she had written to the regional offices of the state Department of Transportation requesting that officials conduct an independent traffic study.

Harvey Whille, the labor union leader, contended that Wal-Mart did not offer all its employees decent wages, and claimed that most of its workers did not have health care.

The Wal-Mart spokeswoman said full-time and part-time workers were offered health-care coverage, and the average wage of a full-time Wal-Mart employee in New York state was $10.17 per hour.

County Legislator-elect Bruce Levine, who also is village attorney for Spring Valley, said the project would be detrimental to the nearby village. The Montebello Democrat encouraged people to attend a public hearing on the matter expected early next year by Ramapo town officials.

Many members of the rally gathered in the parking lot of the Kosher Castle restaurant with signs opposing the planned development. Passing motorists slowed, and some blew their horns in encouragement.

Richard Lipsky, director of the Neighborhood Retail Alliance, said he believed the rally went well. People can effect change if they continue their opposition, he said.

Thomas Smith of Nanuet, an employee at the Pathmark supermarket in the strip mall next to the proposed Wal-Mart, said he was concerned about his job and about traffic.

"This road is too narrow," he said, pointing to Route 59. "It's going to be nightmare."

But not everyone was a critic.

"I love Wal-Mart" for its low prices, Monsey resident Gavriel Elimeleh said, characterizing the potential for added traffic as a natural consequence of doing business. "Wal-Mart is good."