Friday, September 14, 2012

Major Brookfield Development Rolled Out - - With 25% Public Subsidy

Projects these days move forward with taxpayer subsidies, but I'm always curious about whether there's any second-guessing the whole strategy in communities in Wisconsin that are heavily Republican and give ballot-box to small-government candidates.

Like in the Town of Brookfield, a Waukesha County GOP stronghold, where Scott Walker got more than 70% of the vote in 2010 and 2012 - - and also where a major development is on the table with a more than $37 million public subsidy, or 25% of the project bottom line:

A long-delayed public financing plan for The Corners retail, office and housing proposal in the Town of Brookfield is ready for public review - with a $37.2 million price tag.

Town taxpayers would provide that cash over five years for the $150 million development, and to encourage other nearby future projects, by creating a tax incremental financing district...

Town officials have been negotiating the financing proposal for more than a year with Marcus Corp.
The public sector, with its subsidy programs, lower-cost bonding authority and taxpayer-created coffers can afford to offer developers that kind of cash infusion.

Does it strike anyone as a political contradiction?

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