Legislative, Regulatory & Legal

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Two months after Sears Holdings Corp. received a $150 million Illinois tax credit for cementing its plans to keep its home base in the state, it announced Monday that it would close six stores in Illinois.

The retailer had already announced in December – two weeks after the tax credit – that it would close 100 to 120 stores, but no Illinois stores were on the initial list.

New York City -- Kenneth Cole Productions' board of directors has formed a special committee of independent directors to consider a non-binding proposal from Kenneth Cole, chairman and chief creative officer, that would take the company private.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation expressed its support for President Obama's proposal for business tax reform, and pledged to work with the White House and Congress to win passage of legislation that would significantly lower rates in order to help retailers and other businesses create jobs.

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation expressed its support for President Obama's proposal for business tax reform, and pledged to work with the White House and Congress to win passage of legislation that would significantly lower rates in order to help retailers and other businesses create jobs.

Trenton, N.J. -- Amazon.com is contemplating opening two warehouses in New Jersey and is seeking a 22-month sales-tax holiday as part of the deal, according to reports by the Associated Press and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Amazon is not required, as brick-and-mortar retailers are, to collect the 7% state sales tax for purchases. If it acquires a physical presence in New Jersey by opening warehouses, it would have to collect taxes.

New York City -- San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a proposal to expand the city’s bag on plastic bags from grocery stores and pharmacies to all retailers, including restaurants.

The expanded regulations also call for customers to pay a 10-cent surcharge for paper bags at the point of purchase. The businesses charging the fee will keep the money to use how they see fit.

Arlington, Va. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association said Thursday that it will hold the first-ever Labor and Employment Law Forum on March 21-22, at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

The conference is intended to provide insights from members of Congress, legal experts and retailers on the latest issues on labor and employment law affecting the retail industry.

Washington, D.C. -- The International Council of Shopping Centers announced Tuesday the launch of a new website devoted to sales tax fairness and how the current sales tax system is unable to support the 21st Century retail marketplace.

The site, 21stcenturyretail.org, will be continuously updated to provide the public, stakeholders, the media and lawmakers with information on the online sales tax loophole and resources to help level the playing field for all retailers, according to ICSC.