[Vision2020] State law and Wal-Mart

[Bill London]

Again, my thanks to Tom Trail for his communication with V2020....
And thanks for his interest in protecting Moscow from Wal-Mart (see below)
I urge him to work with other legislators to pass legislation similar to
Maryland's which forces Walmart to stop dumping health care costs for their
workers on taxpayers.
BL


 6. Wal-Mart  --  With all the discussion taking place in Moscow about the
> possibility of a giant Wal-Mart getting started, it is advisable to keep
> your eyes on what might happen at the state level.  I talked with Speaker
> Bruce Newcomb.  Speaker Newcomb told me that Wal-Mart has "sucked dry" two
> communities in his district.  Many small businesses have gone out of
> business, and property taxes produced by businesses have fallen off.
>
>   Speaker Newcomb is also concerned about companies like Wal-Mart that pay
> low wages and limited health benefits.  Many states have discovered that
> Wal-Mart and other large companies encourage their workers to seek state
> assistance for health benefits, welfare, food stamps, and other similar
> forms of assistance.  This is shifting medical costs to the taxpayer.  The
> Speaker has asked Health and Welfare to conduct a survey of all
> companies who employ over 10,000 people in the state  to assess how
> prevalent this problem is.  He is ready to introduce a Fair Health Care
> Insurance piece of legislation modeled after that of some 20 some other
> states.  This would require big box companies to contribute at least 8
> percent of their pay roll to employee health care.  The state of Maryland
> just passed this type of legislation (overriding a veto on the way).