Tell WalMart to Pay Michigan Communities What They Owe

doug.mcmillon@wal-mart.com, john.furner@wal-mart.com, taxtrib@michigan.gov, joetate@house.mi.gov, matthall@house.mi.gov, senanesbitt@senate.michigan.gov, senwbrinks@senate.michigan.gov

Across Michigan, WalMart is defunding libraries, transit, childcare, and other vital services like infrastructure. Their latest attacks are in Houghton and Big Rapids, small communities where WalMart is exploiting a tax loophole called a "dark store" to withhold millions of dollars that they owe.

Last year, WalMart made $164 BILLION in revenue. Yet, it is seeking to have its brand-new store in the Upper Peninsula valued as if it were abandoned and long-vacant. Not only does it make NO fiscal sense, it's an outrageous attempt to siphon our tax dollars away from local budgets and into the pockets of one of the wealthiest companies in the world. According to the city, if WalMart succeeds, it will force Houghton to make severe cuts in critical services and will dramatically reduce future budgets for mental health care, programs for seniors and veterans, local road repair, and more.

Whether we vote Democrat or Republican, we all agree that being part of a community means contributing your fair share. This is deeply unfair to the people of Houghton and those across Michigan, where wealthy corporations continually take advantage of the dark stores loophole. Stand up and DEMAND that Walmart pay what they owe AND demand that legislators pass new laws to close tax loopholes and protect all of our communities.

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To: doug.mcmillon@wal-mart.com, john.furner@wal-mart.com, taxtrib@michigan.gov, joetate@house.mi.gov, matthall@house.mi.gov, senanesbitt@senate.michigan.gov, senwbrinks@senate.michigan.gov
From: [Your Name]

Earlier this month, Walmart demanded a $1.2 million retroactive tax refund from the city of Houghton, MI, under the auspices of the dark stores tax loophole. Why would a wealthy corporation that last year made $144 BILLION in gross profits need to pilfer money from the local budget of a small municipality like Houghton? Local residents depend on the vital programs and services paid for by city taxes. If they are forced to give this money to Walmart, the people of Houghton will suffer from dramatic budget cuts.

Let us be clear: Corporate executives who chase profit above all else, even when it makes life immeasurably more difficult for its customers and employees, are destroying the communities they say they want to serve. Walmart MUST pay what it owes to the cities where it conducts business. We are calling on the Michigan Tax Tribunal, as well as state legislators, to end this disastrous tax giveaway and protect funding for critical local services.