The Frontier: Assessor Questions Whether Law Allows Macy's To Collect Tax Breaks

The Tulsa County Assessor’s Office is reaching out for help to determine whether the Macy’s-Bloomingdale’s Fulfillment Center north of Tulsa is eligible for more than $8 million in property tax breaks it received as part of its agreement to locate in Oklahoma, our partner The Frontier has learned.

Pat Milton, chief deputy for Assessor Ken Yazel, told The Frontier Tuesday that the Assessor’s Office plans to ask the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office and the Oklahoma Tax Commission to weigh in on whether the fulfillment center should be considered a retail business.

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State law prohibits retail establishments from receiving property tax incentives or exemptions.

The problem, Milton said, is that the state’s definition of “retail” may not have been written with facilities like the fulfillment center in mind.

As defined in Title 62 of the state statutes, "retail purposes" means “the objectives of selling tangible personal property, other than art, on the physical premises of an establishment.”

No merchandise is sold in-person to customers at the center, known as the Macy’s-Bloomingdale’s Fulfillment Center. However, the facility does sell products directly to customers online.