It’s a legislative fight that pits Wisconsin’s cities and towns, retail giants like Menard’s and Meijer, and the Chamber of Commerce.
Legislation has been introduced in Madison to prevent retailers from lowering their property tax bills by comparing thriving stores to big box properties that sit empty.
The corporations have been taking municipalities to court—and winning their cases. If this keeps up, a big spike in property taxes could be in store for homeowners who are left to pick up the slack for the cost of running government.
Passage of the bills that are meant to close the so-called dark-store loophole is not a sure thing. "The only way you're going to get this going is that people need to start calling their legislators and make sure everyone understands," said Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian on a recent edition of WGTD's "Community Matters" program.
The powerful state Chamber of Commerce has come down on the side of the stores.
In Kenosha, for example, the new Meijer store on Green Bay Rd. has filed a claim seeking to cut its $20 million assessment by more than half, according to Antaramian.
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