Close the Dark Store Loopholes

Stop the Shift!

The Dark Store Loopholes are being used by big box stores to lower their property taxes. The result is that homeowners and small businesses are paying more.  This is not fair.  

Five Facts about Dark Store Walgreens Tax Loopholes (PDF)
Dark Store Loophole Talking Points (PDF)
Walgreens Tax Loophole Talking Points (PDF) 

Click on the Photo to watch the Dark Store Loopholes video on YouTube

youtube thumbnail

Quick Facts

The Dark Store Loopholes will likely mean a property tax increase of 8% or hundreds of dollars more each year for the average Wisconsin homeowner in the coming years.  

Wisconsin homeowners already bear a disproportionate share of almost 70% of the property tax burden statewide, and if the dark store loopholes are not closed, they will soon pay even more.  (In 1970, Wisconsin homeowners only paid 50% of all property taxes in Wisconsin.) 

Thanks to the Dark Store Loopholes, Big Box retailers use more and pay less for essential municipal services like police, fire and other emergency services than the average homeowner or small business.

Dark Store Resources 

Memos, charts and graphs that show the impact of the Dark Store Loopholes.  

Dark Store in the News

A compilation of stories on dark store loopholes from the last two years.  

Dark Store Resolutions

Many local governments have called on state legislators to close the dark store loopholes.