Wal-Mart May Ditch Store Expansion Over D.C. 'Living Wage' Vote

Wal-Mart is saying it may pull back plans for stores in the nation's capitol if the D.C. Council approves a measure that would boost minimum wages by nearly $5 a hour.

The so-called "living wage" through the council's Large Retailer Accountability Act (LRAA), is expected to come to a vote on Wednesday.

Alex Barron, a regional general manager for Wal-Mart U.S., wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post on Tuesday with the title, "Wal-Mart: The D.C. Council has forced our hand."

"For almost three years, Wal-Mart has worked on a plan to bring new stores to Washington, and we are close to opening our first location in the city," Barron wrote in the two-page op-ed. "Unfortunately, the District may soon adopt legislation that discriminates against business and threatens to undo all that we have accomplished together."

A spokesman for Wal-Mart declined to comment about the expected vote and Wal-Mart's plans. But the op-ed made it clear what Wal-Mart will do if the law is passed.