LETTER: TIDs are for blighted areas; Vantage site doesn’t qualify

To Ozaukee Press:

  The first tax incremental financing district in the U.S. was approved in 1952 to facilitate the reconstruction of mostly blighted areas in a municipality. It was a good deal for both the developers and the community. It became popular and today there are over 10,000 in place. It’s reported that Wisconsin has about 1,000. 

Developers aren’t bad people, but they are motivated to make as much money as possible, so if they can convince Port Washington to approve a $458 million TID they will do so. But Port Washington should be smarter than to be taken. 

The TID is a con job and will be paid for by the citizens of Port Washington. The data center area was never blighted. It was productive land. 

I agree totally with Great Lakes Neighbors and I hope they prevail in court. 

Vantage Data Centers and the end users of the Port centers, Oracle and Open AI, have capitalizations in the hundreds of billions and can surely afford the TID amount.

Support your community and Great Lakes Neighbors in their lawsuit.

 John S. Strauss

Campton Hills, Ill.