MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Justice's solicitor general said a lawsuit challenging an economic development project could "imperil" the $10 billion Foxconn complex and other ventures in the state.
The state wants to intervene in the lawsuit filed on behalf of some Eau Claire taxpayers who said the city abused Wisconsin's tax incremental financing law that includes cash payments to a private developer or company.
The lawsuit argues that the $1.5 million in direct payments and half of the redevelopment payment for the Confluence Project are an illegal property tax rebate for the property owner. That could violate the state Constitution, which said property taxes must be assessed in a uniform manner, said attorney Rick Esenberg.
The lawsuit brought by the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty is currently before the state Supreme Court, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
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