MIDDLETON, Wis. (WKOW) – The City of Middleton is in discussions with an unnamed large employer to try to keep operations within the city and protect 1,800 jobs, according to the city officials and state lawmakers.
Local and state leaders have not named the employer citing the sensitivity of the ongoing negotiations.
The discussions first emerged into the public light when the Middleton Common Council held a closed session discussion on creating a new tax increment district (TID) at its Nov. 19 meeting.
TIDs give municipalities the opportunity to offer property tax breaks, usually as a means to encourage new development. State law limits how much value cities may have in TIDs at any one time.
In an effort to give Middleton the ability to negotiate with the employer, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers are advancing a proposal to create an exception in state law for Middleton to temporarily circumvent the value limits.
The proposal is being circulated for cosponsorship within the state Legislature. Legislators have until Wednesday to sign on to the proposal, after which it will be introduced as a bill, according to a cosponsorship memo sent to all lawmakers.
“Middleton is working to retain 1,800 jobs at a major and vital employer that is being recruited by other states and facing the need to open a new TID in that effort before an existing district closes next year that would take their increment value well below the current 12% limit,” the cosponsorship memo said. “By creating this exception, Middleton will be able to move forward with a plan to augment state efforts to retain and add jobs in Wisconsin.”
27 News contacted all of the lawmakers listed as sponsors on the legislation, asking who was the employer referenced in the memo. Several responded and deferred to the state legislators representing Middleton, Sen. Dianne Hesselbein and Rep. Alex Joers, both Democrats.
“City of Middleton came to us with an ask to provide them with the option to create an additional Tax Increment Financing District as needed to respond to economic retention efforts in the community,” Hesselbein and Joers said in a joint statement. “Ensuring that the City of Middleton has the tools that it needs to remain economically competitive is a top priority of ours, so we were willing to assist Middleton in this effort.”
The pair directed 27 News to the City of Middleton “for more specific information about their recruitment and retention efforts.”
27 News asked if the two were choosing not to share who the employer who could benefit from the tax breaks was, or if they themselves were unaware. They did not immediately respond.
Brent Kyser-McHenry, Middleton’s communications manager, confirmed the city became aware the employer was being recruited in late fall of 2024. He said he would share the name of the employer only if he could get their permission, but he has not yet done so.
More at WKOW 27 News