To the editor:

Wal-Mart sells just about everything, right? Clothing, shoes, books, office supplies, home furnishings, food, appliances, sporting goods, hardware — you name it. So, having a Wal-Mart Supercenter at Sixth Street and Wakarusa Drive will be a lot like having a mall in northwest Lawrence, with one exception: The people who own this business will be able to charge less than any of the local businesses, a fact that endangers the local companies.

Another big difference will be that the dollars we spend at Wal-Mart will not stay in Lawrence but go directly to Bentonville, Ark. Whatever happened to those “Invest in Lawrence” ads with the mayor’s picture on them? Let’s face it, the only things a Wal-Mart at this location bring to our town are traffic congestion, safety hazards around our school, and lower property values for the people who bought homes in the area before the City Commission changed the zoning.

Kim Anderson,

Lawrence