WHERE DO YOU LIVE, MR WITT??????

Dear Editor:
As I am typing this, my hands are shaking with rage, so please excuse any typos - I have just read an article published in The Buffalo News. According to the article regarding the proposed nightmare of Walmart invading Alden, Mr. Witt is quoted as saying "The project will bring jobs..." The "jobs" Walmart will bring will be, at best, minimum wage - NO ONE can live on minimum wage. Their "jobs" hold no career track - they hand pick their upper salaried people and they most likely wouldn't be from Alden.

The article continues to quote him as saying "..The positives are huge.....The negatives are less so.........Broadway can be easily enlarged if need be, although it doesn't get that much use to begin with...." Where does Mr. Witt live? I live on Broadway and there are mornings when I have to wait almost 5 minutes to make a right-hand turn out of my driveway! Left-hand turns are even more difficult. For a pedestrian to cross Broadway, you have to have nerves of steel - you have to first cross one side, stand in the turning lane praying no one comes down that lane, then shoot across the other side as soon as you can. Traffic is noisy and heavy all through the night, especially in summer. Tractor trailers speed through 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week. The litter on our lawns is outrageous, adding a store the quality of Walmart will increase the garbage!

And regarding "easily enlarged" Broadway, why would my neighbors and I have to give up more of our yards so Mr. Russo and company can become millionaires? As Mr. Smith states regarding Transit Road in Lancaster and Clarence, "...That's a road people avoid at all costs....". Why does Alden have to be turned into Lancaster and Clarence? If you look at old photos of Transit Road and then drive down Transit, you'll see how many beautiful, old structures were torn down to put up more ugly boxes - the few houses that still exist there are surrounded by lights, stores, and traffic so heavy you can't even take a second to look to see which stores exist! Not to mention the noise.

Please study the history of Warsaw to see what a Walmart does to a small town. For almost 20 years, the village of Warsaw was turned into a ghost town almost immediately after Walmart moved in. Small businesses closed left and right because of Walmart's "bargains". After they succeeded in putting almost every small businessman out, Walmart then raised their prices. They have a history of doing this since their expansion began.

If Walmart moves in, say good-bye to Sitzman's, Henry's Candies, The Beacon Cafe, Alden Pharmacy, Eckerd;s, Valu, Dollar General, John & Mary's, Alden Pools & Play, Napa, Ulbrich's Garden Center, and every other small or medium sized operation in Alden. Then say hello to "for sale" signs and bulldozers.

Mr. Witt and others who want to see good farmland turned into "profitable" box stores should move to Amherst or Cheektowaga or Lancaster - I am sure they would be welcomed with open arms. East Aurora succeeded in fending off the Walmart monster and look at what a beautiful town/village that still is! Let's band together and keep Alden the beautiful town/village that it is and can be!!!!!! Sincerely, Nancy A. Weisbeck

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