Tired of Being Screwed Over Enraged Taxpayers Deliver a $7.8 Billion Tax Bill To Walmart

Last updated on April 17th, 2014 at 03:05 pm

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The Walton family receives $7.8 billion in tax breaks and taxpayer subsidies each year, and outraged taxpayers are demanding that Walmart pay up.

According to a press release from Our Walmart:

Walmart workers and taxpayers in Phoenix delivered a $7.8 billion tax bill to Rob Walton, Walmart Chairman, in reaction to the news that the country’s largest retailer and richest family received an estimated $7.8 billion in tax breaks and subsidies in 2013. A report released yesterday by Americans for Tax Fairness showed how Walmart and the Waltons dodged taxes, exploited loopholes and took advantage of taxpayer subsidies, while many of its workers were forced to rely on taxpayer-funded programs like food stamps and Medicaid.

The taxpayers hand-delivered the bill to Walton’s home in Paradise Valley, outside Phoenix.

“Like most Americans, I work hard, pay my taxes and play by the rules. Why can’t America’s richest family do the same?” said Venanzi Luna, a Walmart worker who undersigned the bill. “Our economy is out of balance and workers are struggling because people like the Waltons don’t pay their fair share.”

Walmart made a $16 billion profit in 2013, and the six Walton heirs, who own more than 50 percent of Walmart shares, saw their wealth grow to $148.8 billion—more wealth than 49% of American families combined.

A report from the Americans For Tax Fairness found that Walmart and the Walton family receive $7.8 billion in tax breaks and taxpayer subsidies each year, and outraged taxpayers are demanding that Walmart pay up.

The table below from Americans For Tax Fairness shows how the Walton family is getting richer while you are footing the bill:

Walmart takes in 18% of all food stamp dollars and generates $13.5 billion in revenue from food stamps. This isn’t enough robbing of the taxpayer for the Walton family, because they also get $3 billion in individual tax breaks, and Walmart itself gets another $1 billion.

The next time Republicans talk about how America can’t afford veterans benefits, or to extend unemployment benefits, they need to be reminded that a simple solution is right in front of their eyes. If Republicans would close the Walmart tax loopholes, and raise the minimum wage so that Walmart workers didn’t have to rely on public assistance, the government would have tens of billions of more dollars.

Those low prices that Walmart advertises really aren’t that low. Taxpayers are picking up the tab, and when one factors in the billions that all Americans have to pay to subsidize Walmart’s profits those always low prices come at a very high cost to every American.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association