Civitas Survey in Maplewood Reveals Support for Wal-Mart Development

St. Louis, Missouri - September 9, 2002 - A recent survey by Civitas Associates, a non-profit educational organization in St. Louis, revealed that most residents in Maplewood, MO favor a proposed Wal-Mart and Sam's development in the northwest corner of the municipality. The enterprise would result in the removal of 140 homes in the area. 

The survey was conducted in late August of 2002 by six students from Maplewood High School. They had previously been involved in a Urban Studies program with Civitas, studying the variances between the rich and the poor in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

The survey showed that 63% of the participants favored the Wal-Mart development and 22% were opposed to it. The remaining 15% were unsure. The sample size was relatively small, 91 registered residents of Maplewood in all. However, this sample has a reliability of plus or minus ten percent 95% of the time. Thus, under the worst of circumstances, the lead still would have been 53% to 32% -- a clear majority for the Wal-Mart supporters.

Residents in the buyout area have been promised buy- out payments averaging three times their payment costs for their homes. The development would occur without at TIF (Tax Increment Financing) breaks from the city of Maplewood.

The vote was originally scheduled for Tuesday, September 17. However, a court battle and discussions by Maplewood officials led to postponement of the vote until the regularly scheduled November election on Tuesday, November 5.

St. Louis County faces an ongoing problem of competition between municipalities for commercial development. Communities are constantly trying to draw in more stores and shopping malls to help build a stronger tax base. One such city is that of Maplewood. A few years ago K-Mart, one of the biggest sales tax providers for Maplewood, closed down. Since then, they have been looking for new developments to help raise the town from the $300,000 budget deficit. One such proposal is the construction of a Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club in the northeast corner of the city. Many residents of Maplewood have had concerns over this development because it would require the removal of about 140 homes and small buildings. Now the issue of whether to build a Wal-Mart is set for a special Nov. 5^th election date.

To gather this information, the students conducted 150 surveys at various areas including Shop ’n Save, Manchester Rd., Subway, MRH high school, Deer Creek Park, and the Sutton Bus Loop. Of those 150 polls, ninety-one were registered voters in Maplewood. Those residents were asked questions like where they lived, if they planned on participating in the Sept. 17^th election (At the time of polling the election date had not yet been moved to Nov. 5^th), how they planned on voting, and their opinions on the Wal-Mart development plan.

The number of surveys completed at each location is as follows:

• Maplewood City Hall=2
• Maplewood Library=6
• Manchester Rd. =20
• Deer Creek Park=70
• Tiggs’ House=3
• The Sutton Bus Loop=4
• Subway=7
• Shop ’n Save=13
• MRH High School=11
• Maplewood Pool=8
• Door to Door=6.

On a side note, five residents of the buy-out area were polled. Two of the residents wanted the Wal-Mart and three were opposed. These results do not necessarily reflect the views of all the homeowners residing in the buy-out area.

This survey was part of a follow up to an Urban Studies project that the students completed over the summer.

Civitas intends to conduct at least one additional survey amongst registered Maplewood residents prior to the election.

Bobbi Clemons; Home Schooling, 2004

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