| Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the nation's and
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| | CIO.Florida state Rep. Susan Bucher,
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| world's largest retailer, is quickly
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| | D-Lantana, has filed a version of the
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| becoming Florida's largest retailer. The
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| | health care proposal for the spring
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| chain opened 50 of its 24-hour
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| | legislative session. It closely resembles
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| Supercenters throughout the state during
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| | the Maryland measure. Of Wal-Mart's costs
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| 2002 and 2003, and there are nine
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| | to taxpayers she says "It might be
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| Wal-Mart stores in Pinellas County- two
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| | tempting to dismiss this issue as a
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| Sam's Clubs, three Supercenters and four
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| | larger one of corporate welfare, or to
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| regular Wal-Marts.It is also among the
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| | argue that we're singling out Wal-Mart
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| state's largest private employers, with
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| | unfairly. But facts are facts: Wal-Mart
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| 77,850 employees-far more than the 54,000
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| | does not just shift health-care costs
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| employed at Walt Disney World. According
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| | onto taxpayers, it does so at a level
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| to Wal-Mart's media relations hotline,
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| | well beyond that of any other
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| there are 3,407 people employed by
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| | employer."This legislation, if enacted,
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| Wal-Mart in Pinellas County.With these
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| | would apply to private employers with
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| large employee rosters come high costs.
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| | 10,000 or more employees. These companies
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| Wages, overtime, benefits, taxes and
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| | would be required to spend at least 8% of
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| other expenses make staffing and its
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| | total payroll on employee health care or
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| related costs the biggest expense for
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| | pay the difference into a
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| almost all employers. When a company is
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| | state-administered fund created to assist
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| big enough to employ tens of thousands of
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| | the uninsured.Legislation like this is a
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| people, methods for cutting costs are an
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| | direct response to the numbers of people
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| issue management visits daily.Often
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| | on Medicaid. In Florida alone, an
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| management reduces employee
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| | estimated 12,300 of Wal-Mart's 91,000
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| benefits-namely health insurance-as a way
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| | employees relied on Medicaid for health
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| to keep costs down, and until recently
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| | care coverage in 2004. Wal- Mart's
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| this practice was met with little
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| | position is that it has more employees on
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| resistance. But this month legislative
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| | Medicaid simply because it is the state's
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| action in both Maryland and Pennsylvania
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| | largest employer.Clearly alarmed by these
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| took exception to this practice. And
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| | legislative actions, Wal-Mart has lowered
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| lawmakers in 28 other states, including
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| | its monthly health insurance
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| Florida, Connecticut, Kansas, Colorado
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| | premiums-some as low as $11 a month-so
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| and Tennessee, are preparing to introduce
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| | that more entry level employees can
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| similar legislation. The face of cost
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| | afford its company health care
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| savings at the biggest employers-and
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| | insurance.Wal-Mart executives are
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| specifically Wal-Mart-may never be the
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| | denouncing the campaign, saying the
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| same.On Jan. 12 the Maryland Senate voted
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| | company provides health insurance to
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| to override a governor veto of a bill
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| | nearly half of its employees. Sarah
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| requiring companies with more than 10,000
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| | Clark, Wal-Mart Spokesperson, says "More
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| employees to pay for some health-care
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| | than three-fourths of Wal-Mart associates
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| benefits. Dubbed the "Wal-Mart Bill," the
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| | have health insurance."She also commented
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| legislation is aimed squarely at the
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| | on the general state of American health
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| retail giant. It is already having a
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| | care by saying "The American people know
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| negative effect, as Wal-Mart's shares had
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| | that catering to the special interests
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| their biggest decline in a month, closing
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| | does nothing to help the 46 million
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| lower by 83 cents, soon after the
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| | uninsured individuals in this country.
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| vote.Spurred into action by the AFL-CIO,
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| | Now is the time for legislators across
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| which represent over nine million
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| | the country to work together to find real
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| workers, states are beginning to
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| | solutions to the health care challenges
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| recognize that healthcare costs must be
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| | facing every state, every business and
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| paid by someone. And if it's not
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| | every working family."Mandy Minor is the
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| employers, the burden often falls on the
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| | Co-founder and Senior Marketing
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| state. "The bottom line is that our
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| | Consultant for J. Allan Writing and
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| health care system is broken-but it
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| | Design Studios. A member of the American
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| didn't just split open. Big companies
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| | Advertising Federation, Mandy is the
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| like Wal-Mart are pulling it apart and
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| | Achievements Chair of Ad 2 Tampa Bay and
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| profiting at taxpayers' expense," says
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| | a staff writer for the Tampa Bay Sun.
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| John Sweeney, president of the AFL-
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