[Vision2020] More Tax Revenue at a Huge Cost

[Tom Hansen]

Rom today's (December 6, 2006) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with thanks to
Donald Ohrlich of Pullman -

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More tax revenue at a huge cost 

A recent round of Wal-Mart stories, editorials and letters to the editor in
the Daily News all omitted some important data. 

In 2004, the Wal-Mart in Moscow contributed about $122,000 in property taxes
to Latah County. So let us assume that about the same would be collected in
Pullman at the proposed super center on heavily traveled Bishop Boulevard. 

In the state of Washington, Wal-Mart, as of June 2006, had 3,194 employees
in two taxpayer subsidized health-care programs out of 16,000 employees.
That number about equals the combined McDonald's and Safeway workers in that
program. 

In 2003, Wal-Mart had 341 workers in those plans at a cost to the taxpayers
of $651,992. Between 2003 and 2006 there has been a 900 percent increase in
Wal-Mart employees in those two Washington state programs. A report recently
presented to all Washington legislators estimated that assistance for
Wal-Mart employees in 2006 will cost the state approximately $9 million. 

Pullman city employees allude to a windfall in taxes for our city. Pullman
taxpayers will pay their share of those health-care subsidies. The windfall
will be for Wal-Mart. 

My sources: Seattle Times, Jan. 24, 2006; and The Olympian, Dec. 2, 2006. 

Donald C. Orlich, Pullman

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

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