Littleton – Opponents of a proposed Wal-Mart store in Littleton broke with national convention by rejecting campaign money from labor unions that have traditionally fought the giant retailer, according to finance reports filed Monday.
Votes in the mail-in campaign over whether to allow the store along South Santa Fe Drive will be counted Tuesday.
“We don’t have a lot of money, but we have people,” said Deborah Brinkman, who heads the Wal-Mart opposition group called Littleton Pride, You Decide.
The group had raised $24,630. Brinkman said the campaign committee had rejected help from labor unions that have backed similar community campaigns in the metro region and across the country.
“That was a distraction,” she said. “This isn’t about the unions versus Wal-Mart; this is about Littleton.”
That claim ignores the origins of the campaign, said Mike Ciletti of Neighbors Voting No on 1A, which supports Wal-Mart coming to Littleton.
Foes got about $20,000 donated from its predecessor, Littleton Against Wal-Mart, which collected signatures and was organized by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.
“Without that $20,000, it never would have made it to the ballot,” Ciletti said.
Wal-Mart contributed all but $25 of $91,025 in the campaign war chest for Neighbors Voting No. Ciletti, a paid consultant, donated the rest.
In 2005, Wal-Mart put up $150,000 to win a ballot measure in Westminster. Opponents raised $30,000, most of it from the union.
Bob Chipman, 81 and a resident for 34 years, said a great “silent majority” favors the proposed Supercenter.
“We are seeing a small minority who, whether they realize it or not, bought it lock, stock and barrel when the union rolled into town and said Wal-Mart is bad,” said Chipman.
The Wal-Mart site is on the main commercial corridor, and it abuts South Platte Park.
Opponents say the 24-hour store would hurt water quality and affect wildlife in the park.
Staff writer Joey Bunch can be reached at 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com.
