March 11, 2025 – Germantown, WI – To the Editor-Germantown Needs DOGA (Dept of Govt Accountability):
After following the Germantown Village Board for over a year, public accountability is clearly lacking. Is it willful or something else?
I hear quite a bit of semantics surrounding Village finances. News flash…. funds that enter the Village treasury, no matter the source—property taxes, permit fees, fines, funds from other levels of government, debt, grants, etc. are public funds. Funds spent, lost, redirected, transferred between accounts, and invested are still public funds. Therefore, all the Board decisions on management of our Village treasury directly impact taxpayers and this community.
Redirecting tax dollars in a TID (tax increment district) to pay for improvements within that development district is using taxpayer dollars, impacting all taxpayers, as the increase in tax revenue generated within the district area is set aside from other public use for the life of the TID.
Police, fire, school, library, and road maintenance generally increase as the TID district develops, in turn requiring more personnel/equipment, which are costs that impact taxpayers. Once the TID closes, the new construction within that TID, referred to as “net new construction”, can increase the levy resulting in higher taxes.
Our Village Board has accepted offers on the Flower Source property for $1.7M (Greywolf Partners in 2022 paid only $1.3M), an adjacent parcel for $700K, and the Ascension property for $5M. Initial funds for closing will come from Village cash reserves, intending a TID will get approved and funds then repaid to reserves from TID.
If a TID isn’t approved, then it probably would end up being some other form of borrowing. Other associated project costs are environmental and traffic studies, hazard remediation, demolition, brokerage fees. People I’ve encountered have no idea this transpired and disapprove of the Village spending approximately $11M for just Phase 1. (Trustees Jan Miller & Meg Cutts voted against)
Based on the February 17 presentation, Phase 1 will be comprised of several hundred units of residential high-density housing which community members have expressed they do not want.
Phase 2, coming years later with an approximate expenditure of another $11M comprises a commercial, German themed “market platz”, should the Village be able to secure the BP and BMO properties. If that doesn’t happen, then what?
Development isn’t bad, but when done without a thorough plan including high community buy-in, there’s an issue. Taxpayers are now committed; the Flower Source closing is scheduled for March 5 with Ascension closing at the end of June.
The only tool now for taxpayers to enforce accountability is to vote on April 1, 2025, for new board leadership. Join me in supporting Bob Soderberg for Village President and Kristen Borst for District 4 Trustee. Change is overdue!
Sarah Larson
Village of Germantown, Wi
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