'BIG BOX' CONTROLS ADVANCE SALES BY WAL-MART, COSTCO, TARGET MAY BE RESTRICTED IN VENTURA COUNTY.

Byline: Krystn Shrieve Staff Writer

VENTURA - Giant packages of hot dogs, family-size boxes of cereal and even those huge tubs of red licorice would be banned from new ``big-box'' stores under a plan that won preliminary approval Tuesday from the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.

By a 4-1 vote, the board ordered drafting of a proposed ordinance that would limit the sale of nontaxable items, which in California include food and prescription drugs, at new big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart, Costco and Target.

The plan was backed by the union representing supermarket clerks and put on the table by Supervisor John Flynn, who said he fears that big-box stores will edge out local farmers and businesses. He said many products sold at the bargain stores are made overseas by people who get very poor wages.

Supervisor Frank Schillo voted against drafting the ordinance, saying he doesn't want to interfere with free enterprise.

``There are many grocery stores out there that are merging and making themselves into Wal-Marts,'' he said. ``This is limiting competition, and I cannot support going forward with this initiative.''

Flynn countered: ``Free economy sounds good, but when it comes to free economy, when there are people making 25 cents an hour, it's an issue of morality. Free economy is good as long as it's not on the backs of the working people.''

The ordinance would apply to new big-box stores of at least 90,000 square feet or older ones that expanded to that size. Supervisor Judy Mikels acknowledged the ordinance would be largely just a token because city councils control development inside their communities, and there is little zoning for commercial development outside the cities.

During the hearing, officials from Wal-Mart and Costco criticized the proposal, saying their stores play a vital role in Ventura County's economy.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Cynthia Lin said several thousand customers at stores in Simi Valley and Oxnard recently signed petitions opposing the plan. She also noted that more than 100 Wal-Mart stores in California use 43,000 suppliers and growers in the state.

``We spend $3.8 billion in supplies within the state of California,'' Lin said. ``Our commitment is to buy locally whenever possible. To single out Wal-Mart is blatantly unfair.''

Mark Maushund, vice president of operations for Costco, said the ordinance sets a dangerous precedent that would limit the opening of any additional Costcos.

``This is anti-consumer,'' Maushund told supervisors. ``Without retailers like Costco, prices are usually higher. This will favor supermarkets and raise prices for consumers.''

While his staff held a sign - ``If a Big Box can purchase it cheaper outside the United States, it will'' - Chris Ivey, an official of United Food & Commercial Workers, Local 1036, criticized the retailers for buying goods produced by low-paid workers in Third World countries.

``The sales from just one of these big-box retailers is more than the gross national product of 155 of the world's nations,'' he said.

Mikels said she wants to read a proposed ordinance, but may not vote to adopt it. She said she wants more time to determine how the business community will be affected.

``We are singling out big-box retailers because they buy from overseas, but tell me who doesn't,'' Mikels said. ``Try to find something made on our shores,'' she said about shopping in a major department store. ``It's a slippery slope. I caution people because the arguments being used here can be used with any other retailers, even grocery stores.''