Loudoun County Votes To Limit Size Of "Big Box" Stores

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Loudoun County Supervisors voted Monday night to limit the size of future “Big Box” stores in the Northern Virginia county, capping a 3-year effort by local labor and community activists concerned about the detrimental effect of such stores on local jobs and businesses. More than two dozen vocal supporters from the NAACP, Move On, local religious groups, the Democratic Party and retirees joined union members in front of the Loudoun County Government Center Monday evening in a “We Are One” action to thank members of the Board of Supervisors for their support, including Kelly Burk, bill sponsor Stevens Miller and Andrea McGimsey, who spoke at the event. “These officials have stood with us,” declared Tony Perez, Director of Legislative Growth Strategies for UFCW Local 400, “and tonight we are here to say thank you.” Perez says the Loudoun County bill is “the most comprehensive Big Box bill yet,” citing previous successes in Prince William, Fairfax, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Calvert and Charles counties.  “We are one with local businesses and the residents of Leesburg and Loudoun in support of this measure,” added NoVA Labor President Daniel Duncan.  Later in the evening, the board passed the legislation by a 5-3-1 vote. Union members from CWA, UAW, AFGE, AFSCME, UFCW, AFT and SIU participated in the demo. Click here for more coverage on the Loudoun Times website. - photo by Bill Burke/Page One