Madison Reporter

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Robert Brooks seeks to modify tax incremental financing rules by exempting Port Washington's Tax Incremental District Number 5 from the usual 12% value cap, aiming to address local financing needs, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

It passed both chambers as of June 18, clearing the Assembly by a vote of 91-6 and the Senate by a vote of 29-3.

Gov. Tony Evers signed the bill into law on July 8.

The bill, introduced as AB140 on March 17, during the 2025 session, was summarized by the state legislature as follows: "limitations on the total value of taxable property that may be included in a tax incremental financing district created in the city of Port Washington. (FE)".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill creates an exception to the existing state law regarding tax incremental financing districts for the city of Port Washington. Typically, the combined equalized value of a new or amended tax incremental district and all existing districts within a city or village cannot exceed 12% of the total equalized value of taxable property within that municipality. However, this bill stipulates that this 12% limitation does not apply to the creation of Tax Incremental District Number 5 by the common council of the city of Port Washington, effectively allowing this district to surpass the usual value limits.

In the Assembly, 39 Democrats and 52 Republicans voted in favor while five Democrats and one Republican opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 12 Democrats and 17 Republicans voted in favor while two Democrats and one Republican voted against it.

Representatives Brooks, Melotik, Armstrong and O'Connor introduced the bill in the Wisconsin Assembly on March 17 during the 2025 legislative session. The bill was also co-authored by Sen. Dan Feyen (Republican-20th District), Rep. David Armstrong (Republican-67th District), and Rep. Jerry L. O'Connor (Republican-60th District).

The bill was also sponsored by Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin (Democrat-8th District).

Brooks, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 59th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Ty Bodden.

In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.

Legislator	Party	District	Vote
Adam Neylon	Republican	15	Yea
Alex A. Dallman	Republican	39	Yea
Alex R. Joers	Democrat	81	Yea
Amaad Rivera-Wagner	Democrat	90	Yea
Amanda M. Nedweski	Republican	32	Yea
Andrew Hysell	Democrat	48	Yea
Angela Stroud	Democrat	73	Yea
Angelina M. Cruz	Democrat	62	Nay
Angelito Tenorio	Democrat	14	Yea
Ann Roe	Democrat	44	Yea
Barbara Dittrich	Republican	99	Yea
Ben DeSmidt	Democrat	65	Yea
Benjamin Franklin	Republican	88	Yea
Bob G. Donovan	Republican	61	Yea
Brent Jacobson	Republican	87	Absent
Brienne Brown	Democrat	43	Yea
Calvin T. Callahan	Republican	35	Yea
Chanz J. Green	Republican	74	Yea
Christian Phelps	Democrat	93	Nay
Christine Sinicki	Democrat	20	Yea
Chuck Wichgers	Republican	84	Yea
Cindi Duchow	Republican	97	Yea
Clint P. Moses	Republican	92	Yea
Clinton M. Anderson	Democrat	45	Yea
Daniel Knodl	Republican	24	Yea
Darrin B. Madison	Democrat	10	Nay
Dave Maxey	Republican	83	Yea
David Armstrong	Republican	67	Yea
David Murphy	Republican	56	Yea
David Steffen	Republican	4	Yea
Dean Kaufert	Republican	53	Yea
Deb Andraca	Democrat	23	Yea
Duke Tucker	Republican	75	Yea
Elijah R. Behnke	Republican	6	Yea
Francesca Hong	Democrat	76	Nay
Greta Neubauer	Democrat	66	Yea
Jeffrey Mursau	Republican	36	Yea
Jenna Jacobson	Democrat	50	Yea
Jerry L. O'Connor	Republican	60	Yea
Jessie Rodriguez	Republican	21	Yea
Jill Billings	Democrat	95	Yea
Jim Piwowarczyk	Republican	98	Yea
Joan Fitzgerald	Democrat	46	Yea
Jodi Emerson	Democrat	91	Yea
Joe Sheehan	Democrat	26	Yea
Joel Kitchens	Republican	1	Yea
John Spiros	Republican	86	Yea
Joy L. Goeben	Republican	5	Yea
Kalan Haywood	Democrat	16	Yea
Karen DeSanto	Democrat	40	Yea
Karen Kirsch	Democrat	7	Yea
Karen R. Hurd	Republican	69	Yea
Kevin Petersen	Republican	57	Nay
Lee Snodgrass	Democrat	52	Yea
Lindee Rae Brill	Republican	27	Yea
Lisa Subeck	Democrat	79	Yea
Lori A. Palmeri	Democrat	54	Yea
Margaret Arney	Democrat	18	Yea
Mark Born	Republican	37	Yea
Maureen McCarville	Democrat	42	Yea
Mike Bare	Democrat	80	Yea
Nancy VanderMeer	Republican	70	Yea
Nate L. Gustafson	Republican	55	Yea
Patrick Snyder	Republican	85	Yea
Paul Melotik	Republican	22	Yea
Paul Tittl	Republican	25	Yea
Priscilla A. Prado	Democrat	9	Yea
Randy Udell	Democrat	47	Yea
Renuka Mayadev	Democrat	77	Yea
Rick Gundrum	Republican	58	Yea
Rob Kreibich	Republican	28	Yea
Rob Summerfield	Republican	68	Yea
Rob Swearingen	Republican	34	Yea
Robert Brooks	Republican	59	Yea
Robert Wittke	Republican	63	Yea
Robin Vos	Republican	33	Yea
Robyn Vining	Democrat	13	Yea
Ron Tusler	Republican	3	Yea
Russell Goodwin	Democrat	12	Absent
Ryan M. Clancy	Democrat	19	Nay
Ryan Spaude	Democrat	89	Yea
Scott Allen	Republican	82	Yea
Scott Krug	Republican	72	Yea
Sequanna Taylor	Democrat	11	Yea
Shae A. Sortwell	Republican	2	Yea
Shannon Zimmerman	Republican	30	Yea
Shelia Stubbs	Democrat	78	Yea
Steve Doyle	Democrat	94	Yea
Supreme Moore Omokunde	Democrat	17	Yea
Sylvia Ortiz-Velez	Democrat	8	Yea
Tara Johnson	Democrat	96	Yea
Tip McGuire	Democrat	64	Yea
Todd Novak	Republican	51	Yea
Tony Kurtz	Republican	41	Yea
Travis Tranel	Republican	49	Yea
Treig E. Pronschinske	Republican	29	Yea
Tyler August	Republican	31	Yea
Vincent Miresse	Democrat	71	Yea
William Penterman	Republican	38	Yea

Legislator	Party	District	Vote
André Jacque	Republican	1	Yea
Brad Pfaff	Democrat	32	Yea
Chris Kapenga	Republican	33	Nay
Chris Larson	Democrat	7	Nay
Cory Tomczyk	Republican	29	Yea
Dan Feyen	Republican	20	Yea
Devin LeMahieu	Republican	9	Yea
Dianne H. Hesselbein	Democrat	27	Yea
Dora E. Drake	Democrat	4	Yea
Eric Wimberger	Republican	2	Yea
Howard L. Marklein	Republican	17	Yea
Jamie Wall	Democrat	30	Yea
Jeff Smith	Democrat	31	Yea
Jesse L. James	Republican	23	Yea
Jodi Habush Sinykin	Democrat	8	Yea
John Jagler	Republican	13	Yea
Julian Bradley	Republican	28	Yea
Kelda Roys	Democrat	26	Yea
Kristin Dassler-Alfheim	Democrat	18	Yea
LaTonya Johnson	Democrat	6	Absent
Mark Spreitzer	Democrat	15	Yea
Mary Felzkowski	Republican	12	Yea
Melissa Ratcliff	Democrat	16	Yea
Patrick Testin	Republican	24	Yea
Rachael Cabral-Guevara	Republican	19	Yea
Rob Hutton	Republican	5	Yea
Rob Stafsholt	Republican	10	Yea
Robert W. Wirch	Democrat	22	Yea
Romaine Robert Quinn	Republican	25	Yea
Sarah Keyeski	Democrat	14	Yea
Steve L. Nass	Republican	11	Yea
Tim Carpenter	Democrat	3	Nay
Van H. Wanggaard	Republican	21	Yea