Overview
- Port Washington, which voted Tuesday, approved the measure with about 66% support, according to unofficial Ozaukee County results.
- The ordinance requires a citywide vote before granting Tax Incremental Districts or other subsidies for projects costing $10 million or more, and it leaves in place the Vantage–OpenAI–Oracle campus already underway.
- The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce sued to block the rule, a judge let it go to voters earlier, and an April 16 court hearing will revisit its legality.
- The decision tracks a broader backlash as Maine moves toward a statewide moratorium and Monterey Park, Augusta Township, and Janesville set local votes, with tensions flaring in Indianapolis where a councilor reported shots fired at his home after backing a project.
- Business groups and the mayor warn the new hurdle could chase off investment, while residents who drove the petition say they want a public say over major tax breaks and worry about energy use, water, noise, and secretive deals.