| No one knows what Big Box has been scouting Pagosa Springs for potential development (Town officials remain tight lipped about alleged overtures) but if that retailer is Wal-Mart and the primary justification for scrapping Big Box regulations in the town’s Land Use and Development Code, the town may want to consider what kinds of jobs it’s inviting to our town.
Today (Dec. 7), Wal-Mart settled a $40 million wage-theft lawsuit in Massachusetts, the largest in that state’s history. Seems Wal-Mart was manipulating time cards to lower employee pay and forcing its employees to work through paid-breaks. Classy.
For some Pagosans, the convenience of not driving to Durango for cheap Chinese-made goods might seem like a dream. However, for the locals working at our new Big Box, the dream might seem like a nightmare.
As of Friday, a lawsuit was settled and plaintiffs in the suit will be seeking signatures to force a vote on the town’s decision to scrap its own LUDC regulating Big Box development. With enough signatures, town voters may decide whether it wants to keep Big Box regulations. And, through that, what kinds of jobs it wants to offer in town.
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