Controversial Wal-Mart bill headed to Washington mayor's desk
Washington (CNN) - The controversial "living wage" bill that retailer Wal-Mart has said would cause it to stop development projects in the nation's capital will go to District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray for consideration on Friday, a city council official told CNN Tuesday.
If signed, the bill, officially known as the Large Retailer Accountability Act, would require big retailers in the District of Columbia to pay a minimum wage of $12.50 - a 50% hike above the district's current minimum wage.
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Wal-Mart has publicly opposed the bill's provisions and a spokesperson told CNN in July that if it were to become law, the company would halt construction on three of the six stores planned for the district.
Once the bill arrives on his desk, Gray will have 10 business days to either veto the bill, sign it into law or send it back to the district council, Denise Tolliver, chief of staff for DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson told CNN.
When asked if the mayor plans to sign the act, Gray spokesman Matt Desjardins would only say he has not yet received the bill.
"The mayor still weighing all options and listening to members of the community," he told CNN.
The DC Council passed the Large Retailer Accountability Act by a vote of 8-5 on July 10th, but it had yet to move for signature. The bill will arrive in the mayor's office along with the district budget, according to Tolliver.
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send them back to communist china
HenryMiller
The DC government has always been one of stunning incompetence, so I won't be surprised if Gray signs it, thereby making it necessary for DC's Walmart shoppers to take the Metro to Virginia or Maryland to save a couple of bucks.
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Except paying a few bucks to travel to Walmart to ave a few less bucks then the cost of gas * time spent traveling will keep people from doing that. The people in DC has seemingly got buy without Walmarts until now....
and people wonder why folks need to use public assistance....the tightie righties call them leeches and layabouts when what the people really need is enough money to buy basic necessities. They don't want to get assistance but they have no choice. Of course Sam Walton and his billionaire cronies couldn't care less
Anything that gets Walmart employees off public assistance (even though they have jobs) sounds great to me.
to bad the CEO of Starbucks can't do a hostile takeover of these "not for the worker" retailers. Everyone that works for walmart should quit, and let the Walton family take care of the customers. This would open their eyes real quick
Hard to believe that any person would shop at a Wal-Mart, seeing how they treat their employees. But, to paraphrase a line from a very good movie. Under the spreading chestnut tree, where I sold you, and you sold me. Welcome to America.
Why is this DC bill geing characterized as being specifically anti-Wal-Mart? It's not. Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending the bill. I'm criticizing how the media is portraying a bill that affects several companies within the DC borders besides Wal-Mart. The bill targets "large retailers", not just Wal-Mart
Is it because Wal-Mart is the company complaining the loudest? And the other companies are waiting on the sidelines to see how it plays out, by letting Wal-Mart go to bat for everyone? Why is it the media isn't telling the whole story? This is being portrayed as a liberal government targetting and attacking a conservative run company, which all fits into the conspiracy theory narratives fermenting in the hyper-right wing.
Isn't Walmart the place where their investors are happily counting their millions while the employees themselves are dirt poor? A true American corruption and greed story if ever there was one.
-Rick McDaniel
Hope WalMart walks.
The Great Pontificator
How about passing the "Large Government Accountability Act"??
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Typical comments coming from people who are apologists for economic slavery. Its astonishing that there are people who object to their fellow citizens being paid well enough to buy products sold at their place of work, but hey, we also have people who think Lincoln caused the Civil War and that cavemen roamed the Earth with dinosaurs.