Wal-Mart Subsidy Report for Pennsylvania

Subsidies received by Wal-Mart
There are no centralized databases of economic development subsidies, but Good Jobs First found 7 deals worth a total of about $25.9 million in Pennsylvania. They include the following:

Good Jobs First has compiled data on Wal-Mart subsidies in the following cities
Bedford (Cessna), PA : about $6 million
Huntingdon (Smithfield Township), PA : up to $4.75 million
Indiana, PA : $1.1 million
Mt. Pocono (Tobyhanna), PA : $2.25 million
New Castle (Union Township), PA : $1.3 million
Pottsville (Minersville), PA : more than $2.45 million
Woodland, PA : $8 million

Hidden taxpayer costs
Many Wal-Mart workers are ineligible for health coverage from their employer or choose not to purchase what is available, because it is too expensive or too limited in scope. These workers often turn to taxpayer-funded health programs such as Medicaid. In March 2006 the Philadelphia Inquirer published a report on data it obtained from the Department of Public Welfare on the percentage of workers enrolled in Medicaid at the ten largest employers in the state. Wal-Mart was at the top of the list, with 15.8 percent of its workforce (7,577 individuals) enrolled. Source: Amy Worden, "Many Wal-Mart Workers Use Medicaid," Philadelphia Inquirer, March 2, 2006.

For an estimate of how much Wal-Mart is costing the state of PA for taxpayer-funded healthcare, see http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/feature/healthcrisis/map.html#PA

Property Tax Appeals
In the course of researching our report Rolling Back Property Tax Payments , Good Jobs First learned of property tax assessment appeals at the following Wal-Mart locations in Pennsylvania:

Gettysburg, PA : $27,383
Bedford (Cessna), PA : $233,000
Everett, PA : $27,554
Sayre, PA : $33,914
Cranberry Township, PA : $38,389
Lehighton, PA : $18,303
State College, PA
State College, PA : not disclosed
Woodland, PA : $221,394
Mill Hall, PA : $56,420
Wilkes Barre, PA
Montoursville, PA : $42,359
East Stroudsburg, PA
Mount Pocono, PA
Mt. Pocono, PA
Mansfield, PA : $51,354
Tunkhannock, PA : $12,841

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