Cross posted at the Wake-Up Blog
In today’s Tallahassee Democrat, FL State Rep. Susan Bucher has a nice analysis of Wal-Mart’s costs to taxpayers. Among the more important quotes are these:
“It might be tempting to dismiss this issue as a larger one of corporate welfare, or to argue that we’re singling out Wal-Mart unfairly. But facts are facts: Wal-Mart does not just shift health-care costs onto taxpayers, it does so at a level well beyond that of any other employer.”
“That is, the retail behemoth deliberately cuts corners on employee health care, forcing a disproportionate number of its employees into state programs in order to receive health care for themselves and their families.”
“Finally, his response is entirely disingenuous. [Wal-Mart CEO Lee] Scott acts as though public programs are a better deal for workers, when really they’re simply a better deal for Wal-Mart. It’s not that Wal-Mart can’t afford to do better. It’s that Wal-Mart chooses not to.”
With such high costs to taxpayers, isn’t it time for Wal-Mart to wake up?
Link to full article here.