Wal-Mart Takes Superstore Decision To Voters In Calif.; City Council Nixed The Plan; Shoppers appreciate the convenience, but activists fret over wages, land use.(A)

Byline: DONNA HOWELL & MARILYN ALVA

Will residents in a small California city let Wal-Mart build a 150,000-square-foot megastore in their back yard as part of a $140 million 60-acre development?

A proposal from the world's largest retailer is set to go before voters Tuesday.

There's an economic case for it, but also a swelling tide against it -- as evidenced by Jesse Jackson's appearance at a local rally Monday.

Wal-Mart, blamed for everything from low wages to the evils of just being big, ran into opposition for its planned development in Inglewood from the City Council and community groups. So the store chain collected enough signatures to prompt a ballot initiative.

"We send mailers and go door-to-door. We hold meetings, we try to answer people's questions," said Bob McAdam, Wal-Mart's vice …