As part of an agreement to raise the minimum wage to $9 over the next three years, New York State lawmakers included a provision to give tax breaks to companies that hire teenage seasonal employees. The provision is expected to cost the state $20 to $40 million in lost taxes. Unions say that contributions from Wal-Mart to lawmakers are part of the reason why the provision, which was never publicly announced, was included. Both lawmakers and Wal-Mart deny the claims.
See "Unions: Wal-Mart had a role in NY minimum wage deal", The Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, April 15, 2013