Healthcare bill properly targets Wal-Mart

Re “Why pick on Wal-Mart?” editorial, March 2

Your editorial echoes the uncourageous murmuring that Fair Share Health Care legislation is bad healthcare policy because it doesn’t go far enough. Addressing the plight and hardship of 75,000 Californians -- as my bill would do -- is neither “arbitrary” nor “foolish.” My bill doesn’t profess to fix the healthcare system. But everything of consequence that I have sought in 15 years of elective life has come from incremental achievements that lead to broad gains.

Without legislative efforts like my bill and similar efforts in other states, it would be business as usual for Wal-Mart and other companies with similar healthcare policies. Target and Costco have demonstrated that healthcare coverage and low prices can go hand in hand. They have proved that providing benefits to employees makes good business sense. Should California taxpayers cover the medical costs for people who are working full time? We know that Wal-Mart employees cost Californians between $75 million and $80 million in public assistance through food stamps, healthcare and other programs.

Wal-Mart is America’s biggest employer. Can anyone really pick on them? Well, if we are, believe us, it’s not personal; it’s business.

STATE SEN. CAROLE MIGDEN

D-San Francisco