COSTCO IN

WHEATON? YES.

PAY $4M IN

TAXPAYER MONEY?

NO!

I believe Costco should move into the mall I still call Wheaton Plaza. And that many more big box stores should open in Montgomery County along our commercial corridors like 355.

As the year progresses, I will speak more specifically about my own concept of what Rockville Pike should be. But for now, I will say that big box stores are very appropriate for that location and in large malls like Wheaton's.

Finally, I do not believe that the county should hand over $4 million to Costco because, unlike a major high-wage employer, the overall impact on "real" jobs is minimal. And Costco clearly wants to access the customers who live here.

What big box stores can give us is much needed price competition for groceries, clothing, electronics, and even gasoline.

Costco is not really a threat to local business owners, in comparison to the threat they face from our own county government's plans for downtown Wheaton.

We must ensure that local businesses can return to Wheaton after any "redevelopment" is approved.

We have witnessed the failure of Rockville's Town Center. These sorts of developments have also reduced tax revenues for the county. Consider that Rockville and Montgomery County were once collecting revenues from establishments such as Magruder's grocery store and Pier 51 Imports.

Replacing them with many small, niche boutiques has slashed mightily the taxes being paid from business transactions there.

Imagine what the impact on receipts - and the county budget! - if we were to lose all of the popular businesses in Wheaton run by local small business owners.

We already witnessed the difficulties faced by Barry's Magic Shop, which was probably the most highly regarded business in Wheaton before the county government ran it out of town. Fortunately, it was able to reopen in North Bethesda.

But I've always patronized the small shops in Wheaton rather than the national ones.

Many people tell me they are too scared to shop at Wheaton Plaza because of gang violence incidents that occurred there in recent years. That is an issue for another blog entry.

But the businesses I remember are Barry's Magic Shop, the martial arts supply store in the same former shopping center there on Georgia Avenue, a comic book store, and, of course, the countless times I did business with Wheaton Music in the Wheaton Triangle.

Wheaton Music offered rentals and equipment that are simply not available anywhere else in Montgomery County. Where else could you rent 100 watt stacks, or find a vintage hair-metal era Kramer Pacer? Not at Guitar Center.

So citizens need to stay engaged in Wheaton and every other sector on the table right now.

We know that the powers that be would like to replace downtown Wheaton and its residents with a Bethesda Row, Rockville Town Center mixed-use debacle. And new, wealthier residents.

That should not be allowed to happen, and we can make a difference this year working together, and defending residents and small business owners from grandiose, foolish plans that are in the worst interests of the county as a whole.

We can address crime, but as long as business owners keep their shops attractive and profitable, there is no reason to boot them out for "upscale" boutiques, national chains, and vacant luxury condos.