Editor:

There were some questions from a gentlemen on my questioning a decision on Wal-Mart. Let me give you some facts.

Walgreens was supposed to go in on the property next to the 7-11 on Empire, but the city has so many restrictions and requirements, it went in on Lone Tree next to Best Buy. We tried to develop our property to include a fueling station for trucks on Live Oak Avenue, but the requirements included giving 20 feet of property off the front of my property, widen Live Oak Avenue, including paving, put the signal in at Live Oak and Highway 4, put in the sewer, street light, sidewalks, curbs and gutters and new landscaping. I was also to extend Carol Lane and include the same amenities as on Live Oak.

Since this project was only going to cost the fuel jobber $110,000, but my part for all these improvements was $700,000 to $1 million, we dropped it. It would have given the city at least $1M in tax base. Also, what happened to the Starbucks we were to get? Antioch has at least four.

The city has allowed and even aided developers at taxpayer expense to put in houses on all the buildable light industrial and commercial land. It is counting on the Dupont property for business. That land is so contaminated, even when cleared by the state, that I would not trust it. The city also gave them the all-OK on the Sierra Crete material, and we all know what happened to that.

The property adjacent to my business, which I have owned for 23 years, is now being built for low-cost housing, and next to me is now an elementary school - all on light industrial/commercial property. The city told me it could do nothing about the school, yet I read in the paper that Brentwood is working with them.

Now comes the crime rate in and around Wal-Mart. I went online and found 108,760 sites dealing with crime in and around Wal-Mart. Just Google them; it will open your eyes to why we do not need Wal-Mart in Oakley. Why can we not get the stores and restaurants that are going in all around us? Look to your city planning and council.

Recently we saw a truck parked illegally, causing a definite traffic hazard near Live Oak Avenue. We called and reported it to the police and the next day it was still there. We saw a police officer and stopped and advised him and were told he would get to it when he could. Does that say we do not have enough police to handle the problems that may arise?

Priscilla Ladeira

Oakley