Tinley Park is asking you to grant a two and a half year tax abatement to Walmart. We oppose these tax breaks flatly, for many reasons.
This is development, in their opinion, is a way to stimulate economic growth in the area. A way to fund the schools, to hire new police and pay for infrastructure improvements. It will be a source of new jobs. The list goes on.
Walmart brings nine hundred police and fire calls to Orland Hills each year. A 24 hour super center directly off of a major highway would bring more. Any police that may be hired as a result of Walmart's presence would be there to service them, not the community at large.
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Infrastructure improvements would once again go to support their interests.
The jobs they claim will be brought to our community are sub standard. Walmart pays low wages, cuts hours and offers sad benefit packages.
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We're told that tax money will eventually flow into our pockets due to the increased tax income for the surrounding area, yet with the sixth largest grossing Target in the nation right across the street, there has been no relief. Dicks Sporting goods didn't help, neither did Best Buy, Kohls, Michael's or the other stores in Brookside Marketplace. We have no reason to believe this will be any different.
According to them, the tax incentives are proposed as a way to offset prohibitive development costs for Walmart, since the parcel is a flood plane and harbors a major gas line. They are not in love with the land. They say that if these proposals are not approved, Walmart will walk away from the deal.
Walmart has the money. The land is worth it. Why else would they promise to throw all that money around if they didn't stand to make more. It's a ridiculous ruse.
The only figures in writing are those favoring Walmart. The only guaranteed relief is for Walmart. Nothing at all for the residents. The same residents who have stepped up and paid their share, and that of the State of Illinois in these school districts. They drive wages down, drive benefits down and dominate the markets they enter, shutting down local businesses. What's left for us and our future generations? The hopes of working at a Walmart?
If the taxpayers don’t get a break, Walmart certainly shouldn’t.
