It was a very long night and the public hearing for the 3rd and final reading of the Lowes settlement was approved by 4 to 3 vote.

I think we will hear that Jackie Goodman led this effort. Her motives are not clear to me and I hope she will explain more about why she pushed so hard for this compromise of our environment and community standards.

McCracken, however, simply rolled over on his back and played dead. He must have forgotten his campaign promises. (OHAN videotaped the debates where he came out against Big Boxes and you can bet, that footage will be widely available.)

The hearing was delayed twice, while the council retreated to hear last minute offers from Lowes. It was a long hearing, lasting about 7 hours and a lot of public comment, including generous offers from the city of Sunset Valley.

The biggest risk of the Lowes approval is that it all about a zoning change. Lowe's could still back out of the project at anytime and some other low life discount giant could slide into the same location!? (ie Wal-Mart, COSTCO, Frys, Big Lots, etc.)

In the end, I think Lowes lost - they have tarnished their corporate image, they have committed to a very expensive project (about 20% of the typical cost of building a store anywhere else), and they will suffer from a citywide BOYCOTT, which has just been launched.

Lowes has to take full credit for Texas HB 1204, a highly controversial state a law that has a slim chance of surviving a legal challenge. That, however, is something that Austin's City lawyers were most afraid of. They don't have the confidence that they could prevail and they usually outsource litigation of that nature, which is very expensive and takes years to conclude. (Remember how long the city fought off Freeport McMoran ?)

This settlement virtually guarantees that we will be seeing at least two more Big Boxes try to muscle their way onto MOPAC in the next year. COSTCO is already looking at one site.

I AGREE and I am


going to continue to boycott Lowes forever. Since the day that Lowes said they were going to try to build that store in Sunset Valley our family has never shopped at Lowes again. Same goes for Wal-Mart even though they left the Mopac site, just the fact that they could have cared less about these Austin issues discussed me.

I think it is REALLY important that all of us who live in Austin start spending our money in the community at stores that are locally based. This is the way that money stays here in Austin and helps pay for all the services that are not available as the tax base is so low.

Regarding Jackie Goodman, I have personally sat with her on numerous occasions and have spoken about environmental issues with her. I find her not a very conscious person and wondered how she got elected!

Boycotts do work

I meant to say that this project will cost Lowes about 20% MORE than other any of their other sites. If you consider the cost of the lobby effort for House Bill 1204 and what ever they spent to way favor with Jeff Wentworth (that lousey self-serving wimp from San Antonio), plus legal costs for the Austin and Sunset Valley lawsuite, and consulting from former Austin Mayor Bruce Todd - that may end up cost half of what they will pay for this abomination that will probably fail anyway.


It's a bad plan from start to finish, and I don't think that Lowes HQ or their stock holders are going to be impressed with the cost of building where they are not wanted.

The Boycott will take a lot longer to hit home. After all, there isn't a rush of people flocking to yet another lumber store with exactly the same products and prices. Their model is too similar to Home Depot to survive. The only thing keeping both stores going, at least right now, is the very active home sales market. Once interst rates start going back up, it won't be so easy.

Below is an excerpt from a 65 year old woman I have known for 30 years. She got laid off from a high tech company just shy of her retirement, so she's had to keep working. Recently, she took a job a Lowes. Keep in mind, she's a former computer engineer, a grandmom, and all around wonderful, intelligent, and chairitable person:


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You heard right! I feel like I am working in HELL!!! I enjoy working with the customers but the management sucks. They treat you like you are stupid and will come by and tell you to do something like you should know how then walk off before you can ask. There has been no training to speak of. Getting help on how to do something is like pulling teeth. I am working 10 hour days plus an hour for lunch. Sometimes for 9 days straight and my back is killing me. I have asked for a demotion to general flunky. They only have to work 35 to 50 hours a week. Hope I can get this soon. I can't even find the store manager to bring up the subject again. Or if I find him, he is too busy. Guess I shouldn't complain, at least I do have a job.