City Commissioners in Sault Ste. Marie are following through on their threat to take on Walmart over the so called dark store theory that allows large corporations to undermine the taxable value of their properties.

They've formed a coalition with Chippewa County political leaders that will be in Lansing for a tax hearing this January.

Big Rapids Mayor Mark Warba is also concerned about the dark store tax practice.

“We need to be on top of that and lobbying for the changes to the legislation to make it more fair. Not to the big box retailers, but to the municipalities affected by it,” he says.

Walmart is hoping to recoup more than $268,000 from the Michigan Tax Tribunal in the Chippewa County case.

There is legislation that was recently passed by the Michigan House of Representatives to put an official end to the loop hole associated with dark store taxes.