Good Jobs First found no instances of economic development subsidies in this state, but given the absence of centralized data, it is still possible that deals have quietly occurred.

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 June 2005 the Great Falls Tribune examined records for Montana's SCHIP program and found that the private employer with the largest number of workers with dependents receiving the health insurance was Wal-Mart. Its 193 employees using SCHIP represented about 4 percent of the company's workforce in the state. Source: Mike Dennison, "State Insurance for Kids Going to Employees You Might Not Expect," Great Falls Tribune, June 26, 2005, p.16A.

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

In the course of researching our report Rolling Back Property Tax Payments , Good Jobs First did not learn of any property tax assessment appeals at Wal-Mart locations in Montana.

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