Mama Mia is Survey Shallow

In response to the Crain's article on Wal-Mart's receeding hopes on Staten Island, the company's intrepid spokesperson Mia Masten replies in a letter that in spite of the thrust of the Crain's story, Staten Islanders feel that "Wal-Mart is one of their favorite shopping destinations." This, as we have constantly mentioned, is a non sequitor.

The issue, as our forum in Totttenville demonstrated, is the store's location in the community and, as Richard Lipsky commented in the SI Advance the store's overall appeal may make it even less palatable for the host community. It is always about the site, especially when it comes to communities like Tottenville.

It is also true that the various Tottenvilles in NYC are relatively immune to the blandishments of the bogus CBA's that are the favorite tactic of the booty capitalists in some of the city' poorer neighborhoods. As an astute community activist once remarked to us, "If there's no community benefit what's the point of a community benefit agreement?"