largest employer in every state

[pinkytoe]

I had no idea Walmart was the largest employer in so many states:(:
http://www.businessinsider.com/largest-employers-each-us-state-2017-6

[bae]

That's a great chart!

[iris lilies]

It is a great visual representatin of the awesome power of evil Walmart.
alan, where is that sticky?

[ToomuchStuff]

Private employer I am guessing? Or did this include the government itself?

[Yppej]

The government is there in all the universities.

[catherine]

My surprise is that with all the huge companies there are in NJ, pharmaceutical just being one sector, the largest employer is one I've never heard of.

[jp1]

And what is it about the denver airport that makes them the biggest employer in colorado but no other airport makes the list?

[Zoe Girl]

And what is it about the denver airport that makes them the biggest employer in colorado but no other airport makes the list?

I don't know, it is a huge airport however does not appear that different. I just know there are lots of conspiracy theories about it.

[LDAHL]

There seem to be a lot of state university systems on the list. I suppose it requires a lot of manpower to staff a medieval service delivery system overlaid with bureaucracies for diversity, inclusiveness and various semiprofessional sports franchises.

[Lainey]

I had no idea Walmart was the largest employer in so many states:(:
http://www.businessinsider.com/largest-employers-each-us-state-2017-6

When I came to Arizona in the 1980s, Motorola was the largest employer. Now I think they only have about 200 employees, and Wal-Mart is the largest employer.

Reminds me of the current race among various cities to score Amazon's second headquarters. The amount of "incentive money" they are offering is astounding.
https://www.citylab.com/life/2017/10/how-far-will-cities-go-to-win-amazon-hq2/541551/

Of course, this is reported in the news like a horse race - none of the taxpayer money that's being used as bribery is ever mentioned.

[Alan]

Of course, this is reported in the news like a horse race - none of the taxpayer money that's being used as bribery is ever mentioned.Just as the return on investment of those incentives is never mentioned.

[SteveinMN]

My surprise is that with all the huge companies there are in NJ, pharmaceutical just being one sector, the largest employer is one I've never heard of.

catherine, probably not by that name. But I think you'd recognize some of the brand names they use: ShopRite, Price Rite, The Fresh Grocer, and Dearborn Market.

[Lainey]

Just as the return on investment of those incentives is never mentioned.

We've had this discussion before about government "not picking winners or losers" in a capitalist society. And even so, as this article and others have stated, the "returns" are often exaggerated while the municipality has no guarantee that the corp. will produce the economic effect it predicted. Nor does it have any leverage if the corp. continues to demand more and more "incentives" as years go by - yes, I watched the MegaCorp. I recently retired from play this game over and over: "we're going to move unless you rebate our taxes/forgo future property tax/give us a $ amount per job, etc." In the meantime the schools and public infrastructure in that state continue their decline.

As a taxpayer I'd prefer my money to be used for its intended purposes: schools, libraries, fire and police, roads, sewer systems, helping disabled, waste management, etc. Giving hard-earned money to a CEO with a reported net worth of $83 Billion? No.

[Alan]

We've had this discussion before about government "not picking winners or losers" in a capitalist society. And even so, as this article and others have stated, the "returns" are often exaggerated while the municipality has no guarantee that the corp. will produce the economic effect it predicted. Nor does it have any leverage if the corp. continues to demand more and more "incentives" as years go by - yes, I watched the MegaCorp. I recently retired from play this game over and over: "we're going to move unless you rebate our taxes/forgo future property tax/give us a $ amount per job, etc." In the meantime the schools and public infrastructure in that state continue their decline.

As a taxpayer I'd prefer my money to be used for its intended purposes: schools, libraries, fire and police, roads, sewer systems, helping disabled, waste management, etc. Giving hard-earned money to a CEO with a reported net worth of $83 Billion? No.
Local governments will always compete with other local governments for resources. In this case the resources are the jobs provided which help to boost the local economy and also bring in additional tax revenues to the local government. Using incentives to attract business is usually a win/win/win for everyone involved.

[SteveinMN]

Using incentives to attract business is usually a win/win/win for everyone involved.
In the short term, that's correct. In the long term, it's going to bankrupt a huge number of cities and counties and perhaps even states.

Aside from whatever's written in the incentive agreements by shrewd lawyers, profit-making organizations have no stake in what happens in a particular location. They'll move on or even close up shop if that's what's best for them -- leaving behind what they leave behind -- an empty big-box store with acres of asphalt around it, a shopping mall that dies slowly from the slower traffic (eventually resulting in an empty big box with acres of asphalt around it); the payments for maintenace of the infrastructure (streets, water pipes, etc.) that they so loudly demanded with the original site but which now is drawing little to no compensatory tax revenue. But the incentives keep getting offered because every city/county/state is desperate to keep money coming in -- any money, even if it's not close to the amount needed to keep feeding the beast.

The Minnesota Vikings skillfully played on people's love of football and Minneapolis' massive inferiority complex to get the city and the state to spend a billion dollars helping the Vikings build their new pleasuredome (we the citizens paid about half). The government and the team negotiated a number of days the building could be used for "public" events (n.b., not half of a year). Profits from naming the place, concessions, etc. go to the team. We're already losers and the Vikings are 3 and 2 this year.

If past experience is anything to go by, the stadium will be used for about 15 years before it is declared functionally obsolete by the team and the noises begin about moving elsewhere (inferiority!!) if a new stadium is not built for them. In 20 years, the Vikings will be crying in their (then $15) beers about how they can't possibly make money playing in such a crackerbox. It happened with the North Stars, it happened with the Twins, it happened with the Vikings, and I fully expect it will happen with the Minnesota United soccer team, whose partially-publicly-funded stadium has yet to be built. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Yeah, the new stadium is bringing Minnesota a Superb Owl (TM) that's supposed to bring tens of thousands of free-spending fans to our little burg. Studies indicate the game won't bring in the big bucks because it will cost a bundle in road construction, police overtime, cleaning costs, and free hotel rooms and seats for the visiting dignitaries. But that's okay. Minnesota has a(nother) The Big Game. See? We're not Omaha at all! >8)

If people would buy more shirts, light bulbs, and wastebaskets just because MegaMart opened a new store, subsidies might make sense. As long as the consumer market is relatively fungible and as long as local governments are stuck with the bill ad infinitum for infrastructure, subsidies are rarely win/win/win.

[ToomuchStuff]

Here they have provided TIFF (tax increment financing) for businesses to move in.
Bass Pro moved in one area and little more then a year later, the city was having to make the financing payments for the developer. All the while, older area's of town, businesses are dying off, homes decreasing in value, longer drives, lack of close hospitals, etc.>:(

Then we had a push for stadium improvements (while it is already being talked about the "next stadium", possibly downtown, with no good/real parking). I would have liked to see something particular go to trial, rather then payoff's/payouts hushup stuff. Someone was suing the city and NFL when a kid was hit due to a drunk driver leaving the game. The city does a tailgating push, and only once did a dui checkpoint after and were effectively told not to do that again by the NFL and city higher ups.

[Alan]

It is a great visual representatin of the awesome power of evil Walmart.
alan, where is that sticky?
Last week I was sent to Kroger with a shopping list, one item being Barilla Elbow Macaroni. Upon arrival, I found that I had two choices, Gluten Free or Whole Grain, not a box of regular elbows in sight. I decided to adjust and go with Creamette or Mueller's and found that my choices didn't change, so I brought home the Barilla Whole Grain. When my wife questioned me on the choice and I explained that there were no regular elbows to choose from she advised me that I had to look at the very bottom shelf, way back in the back, that shoppers who liked things exactly as they've always been had to either get on their knees and reach for items or shop at Walmart. It seems that society has turned us into Walmart people.

[bae]

Last week I was sent to Kroger with a shopping list, one item being Barilla Elbow Macaroni. Upon arrival, I found that I had two choices, Gluten Free or Whole Grain, not a box of regular elbows in sight. I decided to adjust and go with Creamette or Mueller's and found that my choices didn't change, so I brought home the Barilla Whole Grain. When my wife questioned me on the choice and I explained that there were no regular elbows to choose from she advised me that I had to look at the very bottom shelf, way back in the back, that shoppers who liked things exactly as they've always been had to either get on their knees and reach for items or shop at Walmart. It seems that society has turned us into Walmart people.

I get my Barilla pasta from Amazon Prime/Amazon Pantry, and no bending is involved. I also don't have to traverse the combat zones Walmart parking lots have become here in the Pacific NW.

https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-walmart-crime/

[ToomuchStuff]

It seems that society has turned us into Walmart people.

So which picture are you? (people of walmart):0!

[Alan]

So which picture are you? (people of walmart):0!
So far we've escaped notice.

[Teacher Terry]

Alan, the grocery store is helping you-whole grain is healthier:))

[Alan]

Alan, the grocery store is helping you-whole grain is healthier:))
Maybe, but do you think as long as they're looking out for my best interests, should they refuse to sell me any macaroni at all if I admitted wanting to add a pound or so of Colby cheese plus butter and milk for home-made mac & cheese? If a stalk of celery would be a healthier alternative, shouldn't they only sell me celery?

[iris lilies]

Maybe, but do you think as long as they're looking out for my best interests, should they refuse to sell me any macaroni at all if I admitted wanting to add a pound or so of Colby cheese plus butter and milk for home-made mac & cheese? If a stalk of celery would be a healthier alternative, shouldn't they only sell me celery?
That would depend on your BMI. If you pass the BMI o'meter, you get the cheese!

[pinkytoe]

I had to run into our local WM for last minute travel supplies. The regular pasta was front and center - whole wheat lower down. Must be some demographic merchandising.

[Alan]

I had to run into our local WM for last minute travel supplies. The regular pasta was front and center - whole wheat lower down. Must be some demographic merchandising.
Exactly, although my mention of becoming 'Walmart people' was just a riff on older discussions of Walmart which would require Mr Peabody's Way-Back Machine to peruse. Sort of an inside joke, although maybe just in my own mind. ;)

[iris lilies]

Exactly, although my mention of becoming 'Walmart people' was just a riff on older discussions of Walmart which would require Mr Peabody's Way-Back Machine to peruse. Sort of an inside joke, although maybe just in my own mind. ;)no we know whT you mean by WalMart people. It is a popular meme.

[Teacher Terry]

Alan, if you are making homemade mac and cheese I am coming to your house for dinner>8). One of my favorites.

[flowerseverywhere]

What is really interesting from what I could figure out for all the Walmart states only Illinois was not a red state. Coincidence? Conspiracy?

Anyway funny walmart story. A new Walmart store opened near me. In the paper there was a story about the opening. Apparently a Catholic Priest said a blessing outside the store then went inside and blessed the store. For some reason this struck us as hysterical. Of all the pain and sadness in the world you could pray for a Walmart? "Thank you for all the imported junk made with slave labor and for providing low wage jobs. And for putting all the Mom and Pop stores out of business. And for the ugly store. Amen".