I'm Sorry, Say What?

More than 10,000 folks signed PARD's petition against Wal-Mart, including more than 6,000 Pullman residents and 4,000 others who shop here. That is six times more people than the total of all voters in most Pullman city elections.

- TV Reed, Letter to the Editor, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, July 28, 2007

[PARD] claims to represent about 10,000 Pullman residents who oppose the 2004 decision and subsequent rulings allowing the store to locate at its proposed location.

[TV] Reed said there is not a formal roster of residents who support PARD, but that "hundreds of folks" have attended meetings since the group's conception in 2004.

"PARD mulls appeal to higher court," Moscow-Pullman Daily News, June 6, 2008

Let's try 5,400, and even that number is highly, highly dubious. And the petition signers only promised not to shop or work at a Pullman Wal-Mart Supercenter, not support PARD on costly and pointless appeal after appeal after appeal.

But in any case, let's put Reed's overweening boast in perspective:

10,000 votes in the last two Pullman City Council elections would have given PARD candidates a majority and the ability to pass Wal-Mart stopping legislation like big-box and living wage ordinances.

10,000 letter to the editor would have flooded the pages of local newspapers.

10,000 people donating just $4.50 (the cost of a latte) each would have paid for a comprehensive traffic study for PARD.

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