Residents aim to force vote on brewpub TIF bonding

A petition will be circulated to seek a binding referendum on a plan by the City of Port Washington to use bonds to provide an $835,000 developer’s incentive for the proposed Inventors Brewpub on the north harbor slip.

Kerry McKnight said Tuesday he will hold a meeting at the community room in the Port Washington Police Station, 365 N. Wisconsin St., at 10 a.m. Saturday to obtain signatures and rally support for the petition, saying a referendum will give the public a chance to let officials know how they feel about the project.

“I just think they moved through it so fast they kept the public at bay,” he said. “I felt that was not an OK thing to do. To get the opportunity to put a referendum through would give people time to take a look at it. 

“I don’t think bonding is appropriate to support the tax incremental financing incentive without a referendum to get the OK by the people.”

Mayor Ted Neitzke asked that anyone considering a referendum petition contact him so they can discuss the pros and cons of a vote. 

“I know there are people very interested in that (referendum),” he said. “All I want to do is make sure they understand the consequences ... so we can have a clear line of sight as to what that (referendum) means.”

When the Common Council indicated its intent to bond for the incentive, it opened a 30-day period for residents to petition for a referendum on the bonding. 

Residents would need to collect 619 signatures, the equivalent of 10% of the 6,191 votes cast in the last gubernatorial election — by March 17 to force a binding referendum on the matter, City Administrator Tony Brown said.

The referendum would be held in either August or November, he said.

The city, which agreed to pay the incentive when a developer’s agreement for the Blues Factory was approved in 2016, initially intended to finance the payment through a State Trust Fund loan.

However, the city is now looking to issue bonds, saying it is a less expensive option.

McKnight acknowledged that even if a referendum were to halt the bonding, the city could still finance the incentive using another financing mechanism, such as the State Trust Fund.

Even if the threat of the referendum would cause the city to make that switch, he said, a referendum would be valuable.

“It at least puts the knowledge out there to the public about what the tax incremental funding is being used for,” he said. “It would break it down a little better for the community to digest.”

It would also allow people time to express their concerns about the development, such as the appearance and height of the structure and need for additional parking, he said.

While the Blues Factory proposal split the city, McKnight said he hopes a referendum would not have that same impact.

“That’s not the idea. It’s to discuss it,” he said. 

McKnight said he realizes the referendum likely won’t stop the project.

“We know it’s going through,” he said. “I don’t think we’re trying to stop it. We want people to be aware of it and what impact it will bring to that spot.”