2,900-Acre Plan for Foxconn Passed
Mount Pleasant board okays use of eminent domain, critics say it tramples property rights.
More construction equipment has arrived at the Foxconn site in the Village of Mount Pleasant. Photo by Chuck Quirmbach/WPR.
A development committee in Racine County has passed a land use plan to help make way for the Foxconn Technology Group manufacturing facility being built there.
The Community Development Authority in the Village of Mount Pleasant has OK’d a proposal covering about 2,900 acres. The plan would help the village use powers of eminent domain to obtain property from several residents who still own land Foxconn wants for its proposed complex.
The Mahoney home in Mount Pleasant is one property the village has not been able to acquire for the Foxconn project. Photo by Chuck Quirmbach/WPR.
Village attorney Alan Marcuvitz told the authority at a meeting Wednesday night that tax assessment values in the area will dramatically increase from last year’s figure of about $18 million.
“And you know from what you’ve heard before, that the first phase alone of the Foxconn project will grow that by $1.4 billion” Marcuvitz said.
The Community Development Authority voted 6-1 for the plan. The only opponent was Matthew Cramer. He said the plan sets a bad precedent because it could help the village use powers of eminent domain to acquire land from unwilling sellers.
“This is an abuse of power because it forces selling of property against the will of owners who hold ownership, right and legal. It is exercising a concept that land ownership means nothing, land only belongs to you until the government sees a better use, whether that better use is public, or in this case, private and for-profit,” Cramer said.
Village President David DeGroot emphasized the community will continue its policy of trying to reach voluntary agreements with landowners. The village says it now holds 80 percent of the land in the Foxconn project area.
Erik Olsen, a Madison attorney representing some of the landowners, said a recent ruling against the residents in federal court will be appealed.
Mount Pleasant Panel Recommends Foxconn Land Plan With Eminent Domain Powers was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
More about the Foxconn Facility
- Biden Hails ‘Transformative’ Microsoft Project in Mount Pleasant - Sophie Bolich - May 8th, 2024
- Microsoft’s Wisconsin Data Center Now A $3.3 Billion Project - Jeramey Jannene - May 8th, 2024
- We Energies Will Spend $335 Million on Microsoft Development - Evan Casey - Mar 6th, 2024
- Foxconn Will Get State Subsidy For 2022 - Joe Schulz - Dec 11th, 2023
- Mount Pleasant Approves Microsoft Deal on Foxconn Land - Evan Casey - Nov 28th, 2023
- Mount Pleasant Deal With Microsoft Has No Public Subsidies - Evan Casey - Nov 14th, 2023
- Microsoft, State Announce Massive Data Center Expansion, Land Purchase - Joe Schulz - Nov 11th, 2023
- Gov. Evers Announces Microsoft Makes Major Investment in Wisconsin - Gov. Tony Evers - Nov 10th, 2023
- State Can’t Regulate We Energies $100 Million Project for Microsoft - Joe Schulz - Sep 20th, 2023
- Foxconn Selling Green Bay, Eau Claire ‘Centers’ - Joe Schulz - Aug 16th, 2023
Read more about Foxconn Facility here
I thought Republicans were the defenders of private ownership? Another lie from the Republicans exposed.
Look to the factual evidence….and what about this shocks anyone? Watch all of the response from this point on. It would be hilarious if not so pathetic. My heart is with the people of this area and I wish them every success going further. This is a debacle in the making.