Pabst Farms in the News

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has a generally optimistic business article on the Pabst Farms development. I'm not going to get into the whole issue of how Pabst Farms was an abuse of Tax Incremental Funding, and how it doesn't include affordable housing for the workers for the retail developments or the hospital.

However, this part jumped out at me:

Rights-of-way for an interchange at I-94 and Highway P/Sawyer Road on the eastern edge of the Pabst Farms Development have been acquired.

I've drove by Pabst Farm a few times, and there is no way there is a need for a new intersection for a long time. This is a "build and they will come" mentality.

This development has been heavily subsidized already, to the tune of $24 million as Mr. Rowen notes.

By comparison, The Waukesha County Affordable Housing Taskforce, is asking for $2.5 million a year, even though the need is much greater in the County. Imagine what could be done with $24 million (not including the proposed new interchange!).