Law Suit Against the City

IT'S YOUR TIME TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST CORPORATE WELFARE!

Hello Stoughton Citizens!

LAW SUIT AGAINST CITY.

We believe that the City of Stoughton is NOT following the State of WI Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) law.  Stoughton Forward is now collecting donations to enable us to file a law suit against the city in Dane County Court.  It must be filed within a few weeks.

In order to file, we must raise $5,000 or more to prepare the suit and file it.  If the city, the developer and or WalMart decide to fight the suit it will cost another $5,000 or more.

At this point, we are asking for donations to help us raise the first $5,000.  We currently have over $2,700 in cash and pledges.  Thus we have about $2,300 more to go to be able to give our attorney the go ahead to prepare the suit. 

We must give that go ahead in the next few days.

He will send me a brief outline tomorrow or Saturday and I will forward it to you all along with an update on fund raising.

TIF LAWS.

In summary the city has now agreed to give WalMart $5 million, and possibly more, to reimburse WalMart for constructing the public infra-structure needed for the Kettle Park West mall if KPW LLC goes bankrupt.

This is a significant change to the project plan and the Developer's Agreement.  On behalf of Stoughton Forward I sent our attorney Dennis Grzezinski's letter to the mayor and council on 6-23-15.  That letter is below and  outlines what we believe to be potential law violations.  I have highlighted some sections.

The council and mayor paid no attention to the letter or what I said at the public comment period -- nothing new there!

PLEASE DONATE!!  If you can, please send a donation for any amount.  We are grateful for all donations.  You all have donated $10,000 or so in the last 1.5 years to fight back against our city.  Our mayor and half the council refuse to listen to citizens.  They push ahead with corporate welfare payments using our tax dollars against the will of 60% of the voters..

Checks Should Be Made Out To:  Stoughton Forward

Please Send To:

Stoughton Forward %

Buzz Davis, Treasurer

1021 Riverview Dr.

Stoughton, WI 53589

You may also drop the check or cash in our mail box on the porch.  If you choose to donate cash please also included you name, address, phone and email for our records.                

If you decide to donate, please email me back now and let me know about how much it might be.  We have to move fast and I may give the approval to our attorney to start work before I actually receive the checks in the mail.

Lastly, please consider forward this email to your email friends with a note on your views of what is happening and how small or large contributions will be appreciated.

WalMart is about the largest corporation is the world, is a tax cheat, receives billions of dollars in government subsidies, pays very low wages, has goods made in sweat shops in  China and other countries, its stores kill local downtowns, for every one new WM worker the local retail area loses 1 to 1.4 present better paying retail jobs and on and on.

It is abhorrent that the mayor of a city that does not have enough money to repair its roads, would work for years over the objections of the majority of the community to give corporate welfare to a developer and now WalMart.

Just how dumb can we get?  Take action now.  Donate a buck or more to help stop this foolishness in court.  Our city must follow the law.  It is regretful that citizens must take action and spend their own hard earned money to force their city hall staff and mayor and alders to follow the law.