For every $1.00 you spend at Walmart you pay $0.075 generally in sales tax. Mom and pops, small businesses historically hide some transactions as cash. As well Walmart hires a great mix of skilled/unskilled labor which helps boost the local economies. This is why local/state governments “sponsor” walmart, giving them great subsidies and have no issues with employees on welfare. Because they know many of those employees wouldn’t make it elsewhere.