Ghoti Ichthus
Genesis 18:32, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Acts 5:29
The City of Milwaukee is not happy 
Tue, April 7, 2026 at 10:38 PM CDT
"A novel referendum in the City of Port Washington on whether voters in the city should have a say in approving large tax incremental financing districts, including those for data centers, succeeded on April 7. But its future is still uncertain, as a legal challenge brought by regional business groups still looms.
The referendum won with 66% of voters answering 'yes' on the ballot question, asking whether to approve an ordinance that would add a public checkpoint to the approval process for TIF districts over $10 million. The ordinance was proposed by residents part of a grassroots, local anti-data center group, called Great Lakes Neighbors United, that opposed the $15 billion AI data center for Oracle, OpenAI and Vantage on the city's north side.
As part of the data center approval process, city officials approved a $458 million tax incremental financing district in November 2025, which drew hundreds of people to city meetings to oppose to the project and the significant public financing element. At the time, a local, grassroots anti-data center group, Great Lakes Neighbors United, collected enough signatures from residents supporting a proposed TIF ordinance to bring it before the Port Washington Common Council.
City officials voiced (and continue to voice) serious concerns about the TIF ordinance at a December 2025 meeting, saying it could be difficult to implement and might slow development. But they voted to place it on spring election ballots after the city attorney advised that their only options under state law were to either adopt the ordinance as written or hold a referendum."
"On Jan. 29, several Wisconsin business and trade groups, including the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, sued the City of Port Washington for moving forward with the referendum, saying the ordinance would slow development, conflict with state laws and set a "dangerous precedent," according to the suit filed Jan. 29 in Ozaukee County Circuit Court.
The city's response, filed on Feb. 3, says officials "largely agree" with the business groups but saw no choice but to advance the referendum, citing Wisconsin's direct legislation law."
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www.yahoo.com
Port Washington Passes TIF Referendum Proposed by Data Center Skeptics
Claudia Levens, Milwaukee Journal SentinelTue, April 7, 2026 at 10:38 PM CDT
"A novel referendum in the City of Port Washington on whether voters in the city should have a say in approving large tax incremental financing districts, including those for data centers, succeeded on April 7. But its future is still uncertain, as a legal challenge brought by regional business groups still looms.
The referendum won with 66% of voters answering 'yes' on the ballot question, asking whether to approve an ordinance that would add a public checkpoint to the approval process for TIF districts over $10 million. The ordinance was proposed by residents part of a grassroots, local anti-data center group, called Great Lakes Neighbors United, that opposed the $15 billion AI data center for Oracle, OpenAI and Vantage on the city's north side.
As part of the data center approval process, city officials approved a $458 million tax incremental financing district in November 2025, which drew hundreds of people to city meetings to oppose to the project and the significant public financing element. At the time, a local, grassroots anti-data center group, Great Lakes Neighbors United, collected enough signatures from residents supporting a proposed TIF ordinance to bring it before the Port Washington Common Council.
City officials voiced (and continue to voice) serious concerns about the TIF ordinance at a December 2025 meeting, saying it could be difficult to implement and might slow development. But they voted to place it on spring election ballots after the city attorney advised that their only options under state law were to either adopt the ordinance as written or hold a referendum."
"On Jan. 29, several Wisconsin business and trade groups, including the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, sued the City of Port Washington for moving forward with the referendum, saying the ordinance would slow development, conflict with state laws and set a "dangerous precedent," according to the suit filed Jan. 29 in Ozaukee County Circuit Court.
The city's response, filed on Feb. 3, says officials "largely agree" with the business groups but saw no choice but to advance the referendum, citing Wisconsin's direct legislation law."
More
Port Washington passes TIF referendum proposed by data center skeptics
A Port Washington referendum that sprung from data center pushback, asking whether voters should approve major public financing, succeeded on April 7.
