Sen. Diaz Says Walmart Store In NYC Would Benefit Poor Residents
NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Bronx Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. says despite opposition, he hopes to soon see a Walmart store in New York City, which he believes would benefit poorer residents.
"I am [a] supporter of the bargains that Walmart offer to poor people and in this past Black Friday, many people took advantage of it, except the poor people from my district and from the whole city of New York," Diaz told 1010 WINS.
Diaz earlier released a full statement in which he stated that "the City's poor residents were the losers of the week" while "Walmart was the big winner."
Diaz was alluding to the record $52.4 billion in Black Friday sales across the country in which Walmart of was a significant player.
"Despite reports of fights, insults and pepper spraying, because of the astronomic sales, 'Black Friday' was a blessing for Walmart. 'Black Friday' provided the opportunity of the century for the nation's poor to take advantage of the bargain prices for clothing, household goods, food and other items sold at Walmart," Diaz said in the statement.
The subject of bringing a Walmart to New York City has generated much controversy in the past. Much of the opposition has come from local lawmakers, small business owners and unions, which charge that the retailer exploits workers and would strangle the local economy.
Despite that, a Quinnipiac University poll was released in July in which 69 percent of respondents said they would shop at a Walmart in the city if it was convenient. That same poll showed that 63 percent of respondents said that city officials should allow a local Walmart to open.
"My question is why is it that the poor people of the city have to pay when all the people -- the whole nation -- show that they are in support of a Walmart? People were making lines for 48 hours to get into Walmart. Many people throughout the nation took advantage of it," Diaz told 1010 WINS.
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