As Foxconn Fails, Village Trustees Act to Expand Political Power
“With no ballot referendum or public input, unaccountable village trustees will extend their terms in office from two to three years. A first in Racine County.”
On Monday, January 24th the Village of Mount Pleasant Board of Trustees will discuss and take possible action to adopt a charter ordinance to expand trustee terms in office from two years to three years. If approved, Mount Pleasant would be the only municipality in Racine County with three year terms in office.
Wisconsin statutes state that “except as otherwise provided by law, the term of office of all village officers is 2 years.” A charter ordinance will allow Mount Pleasant to deviate from state guidelines and join several other villages in Wisconsin who have expanded the length of terms for officials.
“This ordinance, as written, makes clear that the Village Board has no intention of conducting a ballot referendum to allow voters to decide how often they think elections are appropriate,” said Kelly Gallaher of A Better Mt. Pleasant. “There is no benefit in cost or convenience to the village, except to political candidates who wish to avoid the imposition of having to run for election every two years. This is a power-grab, plain and simple.”
With the Foxconn development in Mount Pleasant at a current standstill, public scrutiny has focused on the hundreds of millions of dollars in public funds already spent, and concerns about the economic future of the small village—whose investments are guaranteed, in part, by state funds.
Gallaher continued, “Village Trustees have shown they were never qualified to negotiate the Foxconn project. They conceded their curiosity and responsibilities to overpaid consultants who continue to drain the TIF created to fund this fiasco. Now they want to sit in office an extra year without having to ask residents for their support? No.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Foxconn Facility
- Mount Pleasant, Racine in Legal Battle Over Water After Foxconn Failure - Evan Casey - Sep 18th, 2024
- 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
Read more about Foxconn Facility here
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by A Better Mt. Pleasant
Mount Pleasant Agrees to Settlement in Foxconn Lawsuit
Jan 11th, 2022 by A Better Mt. Pleasant“They stole the land and knew they would lose in court.”
Village Clerk Threatens Indefinitely Confined Voters in Mt. Pleasant
Sep 15th, 2021 by A Better Mt. Pleasant“In defiance of state guidance, Village Clerk Stephanie Kohlhagen threatens voters with fines and jail in an astounding act of voter intimidation.”
