Assembly Speaker Robin Vos: 'Dark stores' bill not likely to pass

MADISON — Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says a bill designed to force mega-retailers like Menards, Lowe's and ShopKo to pay more in property taxes is unlikely to pass the Legislature.

Vos said Wednesday that he has "serious concerns" with the measure that's won bipartisan support and the backing of communities across the state.

The bill is designed to close the so-called "dark store" loophole and increase how much mega-retailers pay local communities in property taxes.

A string of court rulings in Wisconsin and across the Midwest have helped the retail giants lower the value placed on their stores for levying property taxes. The retailers have successfully challenged their tax assessments by arguing they are overtaxed and should pay the same rate as a store that is closed and vacant.