Phil Mattera: Wal-Mart Short-Changes Public Schools [AlterNet]
In an effort to cut the property tax it pays to local governments--revenue that pays for public education, police and fire protection and other vital services--Wal-Mart routinely tries to belittle the value of its own facilities.

Study accuses Wal-Mart of detrimental tax policy [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette]
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. systematically and aggressively challenges the property-tax assessments on its facilities and damages public schools and other tax-supported services, according to a study released Wednesday by a center that promotes itself as a source for labor unions and other activist organizations.

Wal-Mart contests local property taxes [Albany (N.Y.) Times-Union]
"Wal-Mart, a company with $350 billion in annual revenues and $11 billion in profits, drains vitally-needed funds from communities by regularly challenging the valuation put on its properties by public officials," said Philip Mattera, Good Jobs First's research director.

Carlos Guerra: Think-tank's study critical of Wal-Mart's use of tax incentives [San Antonio (Texas) Express-News]
Over the years, countless small-town newspapers have heralded the opening of a new Wal-Mart in their community. Finally, locals will enjoy the great prices and product mix of big cities, they have reported. But in many ways, it has been a love-hate relationship.

Wal-Mart works to lower its local tax bills [(Va.) Daily Press]
In Virginia, Wal-Mart successfully challenged the city of Culpepper over its assessment of a Supercenter in 2003. That generated $6,810 in savings for the company, and it then launched another challenge that it lost in 2007, said the study from Good Jobs First, a labor-affiliated watchdog group.