Millions at stake with no-bid work in Milwaukee 

Published: February 27, 2012
Tags: Darryl Malquist, David Toennies, Equity Appraisal, John Meyer, Linda Burke, Market Drive, Mary Reavey, Nik Kovac, no-bid contracts, RFP, Rhonda Kelsey, sole-source contract, TID, Wisconsin Department of Revenue

A looming deadline to file an assessment report is pressuring the city of Milwaukee to approve two no-bid contracts.

Troubled TIF districts threaten municipalities (UPDATE) 

Published: August 27, 2010
Tags: Bayshore Town Center, Glendale, Jolene Rhea, Maslowski, tax-incremental financing, the Jellystone Park and Campground, Three Bear Resort, TIF, Warrens, Wisconsin Department of Revenue

By Marie Rohde Property taxes in the tiny central Wisconsin village of Warrens soared by 40 percent last year and things don’t look much better for this year. Warrens is a victim of a development district that’s in distress and the community’s experience could be a warning sign for municipalities that have used public dollars [...]

Wisconsin overall property values plummet by 3.13 percent 

Published: August 13, 2010
Tags: Michael J. Muelver, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Wisconsin Municipal Assessors Association

The value of state property dropped by more than $16 billion in the past year, according the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, but assessors warn that property owners should not expect a decrease in their upcoming tax bills.

TIF bill targets exemption trend (UPDATE)

By Paul Snyder State lawmakers, tired of dealing with every tax-incremental financing hiccup from every city, village and town in the state, just want to make it easier to create TIF districts. “Usually what happens when municipalities run into problems creating a TIF district is they come to the Legislature seeking some kind of exemption,” [...]

Villages’ TIFs take a hit

Published: August 14, 2009
Tags: TIF, village, Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance

Sean Ryan sean.ryan@dailyreporter.com Plummeting property values in the past year have left Wisconsin villages with dull and, at times, ineffective development tools. The tax-incremental financing district created around the village of Muscoda’s downtown, for example, lost 3 percent of its value, or $93,600, between 2008 and 2009. The shops in the downtown area are folding, [...]

State forces contractor registration

Published: March 9, 2009
Tags: Associated Builders & Contractors of Wisconsin Inc., Brad Boycks, Division of Safety and Buildings, Hal Bergan, Hal Bergan Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, John Mielke, Mark Reihl, Wisconsin Builders Association, Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Wisconsin State Council of Carpenters, Zach Brandon

Paul Snyder paul.snyder@dailyreporter.com Groups representing Wisconsin builders worry the Department of Commerce’s mandatory contractor registration rule is just the start of state efforts to track construction companies. “I understand the state is trying to go after the bad actors,” said Brad Boycks, director of government and political affairs for the Wisconsin Builders Association. “But that’s [...]