Health (8% payroll tax) Bill marks Union's first victory against Wal-Mart in MD

Baltimore Sun ^ | 4/15/05 | Andrew A. Green and David Nitkin

[Gabz]

I think I might just do that........but I will wait until I speak with my County Supervisor and find out from him exactly why WalMart is not in this county - and i will be seeing him this afternoon.

[Gabz]

I know Ehrlich will veto it and I also don't think the veto will stand. sometimes I can not understand the minds in Annapolis.

When this first made headlins my husband looked at me, shook his head, and said he was very thankful I paid enough attention to Annapolis to insist we do not even consider Maryland when we decided to move out of Dover.

[jackbill]

Maryland has a huge supply of unskilled uneducated poor labor.

They're already working - for the government.

[lizma]

sometimes I can not understand the minds in Annapolis

It's not pretty.

Several years ago I did some work as a volunteer lobbyist up in Annapolis. I got so disgusted from the things I heard being said by our elected officials I had to quite. The main thing was hearing all their excuses of why they couldn't find the time to read the bills they were voting on (but they did find time to party every night, mind you.) The end it all kicker was having to listen to some elected woman whine and moan about how her life would be soooo much easier if we only had a benevolent dictator to rule us. I couldn't even stand the Republicans!

[marylandrepub1]

A lucky few are working for the government, and it costs a fortune. Of course MD simply comes to your house with a gun to get the money to pay them. Government jobs are the only real jobs to a liberal. They think money is created by taxes.

Although it's not in this article, they tell me the heavily unionized Giants Food lobbied for this bill. Food prices in MD are outrageous. I put groceries on my credit card and can see them at the end of the month.

I try to buy everything I can out of State by internet and avoid State taxes as well as all these payroll taxes. But I am stuck on food(for the most part.)

[Gabz]

I was a reporter/anchor for a radio station in Caroline County in the mid 80s and the majority of my work was covering Annapolis and Dover..........as bad as it was/is, I much preferred Dover to Annapolis.

I became a lobbyist after leaving radio, and while I didn't do any lobbying in Annapolis, I spent my fair share of time there with others who did - so I fully understand exactly what you are saying.

[P-Marlowe]

I would expect that Wal Mart will simply close enough stores and lay off enough people until they are below the 10,000 employeee maximum. Maryland cannot constitutionally count employees in other states for this law and thus it can only apply to companies that employ 10,000 employees within its borders.

As an aside, Wal-Mart's full time employees have pretty good health care benefits. Better than my company offers. And anyone who only works part time and still needs health care benefits, ought to be looking for full time work. And anyone willing to work hard can get a full time job at Wal Mart.

[WVNan]

I couldn't get to anyone to lodge my support for Wal-Mart at the number given. Just a peon who had no idea what I was talking about and she then switched me to employee health care line LOL. I can't even find a working e-mail. The site directs you to contact a local store.

[jackbill]

You've got to read the whole article. It says a lot about Giant's lobbying effort.

It also talks about the "union's charismatic leader"?

The Sun sucks!

By the way, the article was co-written by David Nitkin - one of the Sun reporters that Ehrlich forbade state employees talking to.

[Gabz]

We get the Sun on Sundays - primarily for the coupons and crossword puzzles.

[tahiti]

"HAFER v. MELO, 502 U.S. 21 (1991)

What's the connection between the two cases?"

If I understand your question correctly, the "connection" is that the Maryland legislature has violated Wal-Mart stockholder's, they are the private property owners of Wal-Mart, Amendment V "right" to just compesation when their property is taken for public use.

Federal law states that when a public official "deprives" a citizen of any state their federal constitutionally protected "rights," that public official or officials are personally liable for the financial damage or injury they have caused.

The Supreme Court found that federal law constitutional when petitioned for judicial review of the statute.

If you are a Wal-Mart stockholder, sue all Maryland public officials who are responsible for the unconstitutional law.

I have used this argument to stop my local city council from requiring private property owners on the "main st" of our town, from only renting to "retail" tennants.

[tang-soo]

I bet the state of Maryland employess more than 10,000.

[Hank Rearden]

Is this constitutional, requiring any company to spend any of its money on any particular expense??

Seems no more constitutional than Bush stealing over a trillion dollars via his "free" pill vote-buying scam - part of the Republican Party's "limited government" initiative to enhance the national debt.

[jimtorr]

....."free" pill vote-buying scam.......which will not buy any votes, of course, and the Dem whiners say it doesn't spend enough.

To make matters worse, my mother doesn't even qualify for the plan. She gets just a little too much from Social Security.

[scfirewall]

I can't believe this is Free Republic.

Being in the Food Manufacturing Business and having dealt with Both Wal mart and Giant Food I can tell you that Wal Mart has been MUCH fairer to my company than Giant has.

The last pricing report I saw from Giant Foods had A-1 Steak Sauce in Giant Foods Retailing for $4.99.......It retails at Wal mart for $2.68.

This doesn't have anything to do with "Buying Power".....Wal Mart has streamlined their Distribution Process and drastically reduced their On Hand Inventory costs.

It has everything to do with MARGINS.....Wal Mart typically marks up at 22%.....Giant Marks up 40%

Giant also asks for at least $25,000 up front from the Manufacturer......which the manufacturer puts back in the cost of the goods.....which the consumer ends up paying for. This is called Slotting dollars.....Giant not only sells Groceries they sell Real Estate.....Shelf Real estate...... in inches.

Wal Mart Does not do this. IMO any retailer out their can compete with Wal mart.

1) Eliminate Slotting Dollar Practices.
2) Do not rely on 3rd party Distributors to House your Inventory.

But they won't do it....they are addicted to the easy money Trough of slotting practices.......they have their MBA's and were taught the specifics of category management at the Finest Universities......It works....just ask Winn Dixie.

Low Prices. Always.....THAT's Why people shop at Wal Mart....and that is the simple truth about the grocery business.

[marylandrepub1]

Good reply. Very informative. Why compete when you can outlaw competition?