Mayor Taylor’s $31 Million—Field of Dreams Gamble with Tax Payer Dollars

As the City of Franklin—in conclusion with an unelected  government body—MMSD adds a new $461.47 sewer tax to every Franklin  property owner’s 2012 tax bill, whether they are hooked up to the now infamous Ryan Creek Interceptor.   The Franklin common council and especially Mayor Tom Taylor believe “development would follow the pipes”—that’s a $31 million gamble I wouldn’t be willing to make with taxpayer dollars considering predictions of a 2013 recession.  Do the mayor and common council know something that the Wall Street Journal forecast panel—as well at The Wall Street Journal don’t and Forbes’ economists?

Dear Franklin Property Owner

Here is the text of a letter that many Franklin property owners will receive within the next day or so related to a new annual $461.47 MMSD sewer tax.

Dear Franklin Property Owner:

You recently received your City of Franklin 2012 Real Estate Property Tax bill.  To the surprise of property owners, a new tax from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) was listed entitled: MMSD Sewer District. You are one of roughly 540 property owners who currently have no sewer service and rely on your own septic system. Beginning with the 2012 property tax bill, you are now included in the MMSD boundaries and subject to the MMSD sewer tax even though you have your own septic system.

A number of Franklin property owners who have septic systems have previously opposed this sewer tax. Many long time Franklin property owners will remember that we were in the same situation years ago when Franklin property owners were forced to pay sewer tax to MMSD even though they had a septic system.  As a result of that injustice, property owners fought to have that policy overturned. They won. Laws and policies were put on the books to safeguard that practice from occurring again. MMSD is ignoring the state statute and policies.

As a last resort, a few of us would like to have this issue heard within the court system. Property owners who have septic systems (not city sewers) are asked to unite for a common cause. Our voices were ignored at the public hearings. Our next course of action is to fight within the legal system.

Rather than be faulted for not informing all property owners who are affected by this action, we are sending this letter to inform you and ask for your help and support. Obviously numbers speak loudly. The biggest fear a bureaucrat or politician has is when people unite and become organized for a common cause. We hope you will support and help us to repeal the sewer tax for non-sewer property owners in Franklin.

If there are people who are willing to accept this tax and do not want to get involved, we will not fight for them. We will only fight for property owners who feel this tax is unjustified. We would like to start a class action suit. This will cost time and money. We are asking property owners who would like to be involved to please contact us so that you can be notified about future meetings. We are also asking for any monetary contribution you can afford to help offset the cost. If we are successful, as we were in the past, you will no longer see the MMSD sewer tax on your real estate property tax bill.

In the meantime, when you pay your 2012 Real Estate Property Tax bill, please write “Paid Under Protest” on your check and ask to have the receipt hand stamped “Paid Under Protest.”

If you have questions or are willing to help, please contact Basil Ryan at 414-423-5481 or aldryan@execpc.com.  For more information, visit www.FranklinIndependentJournal.com.

Opposition to Sewer Tax Growing

FRANKLIN MAYOR THOMAS TAYLORCity of Franklin officials are trying to sidestep a very heated issue. Franklin property owners with septic systems have recently been incorporated into the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) as a result of the Ryan Creek Interceptor Project. This means that they will now be billed for sewer services they don't have, along with the cost of maintaining their own septic system.  These Franklin residents are so upset they are forming a group to challenge the sewer tax in the court system. A letter was recently sent to all affected property owners. Years ago the same problem occurred. Franklin property owners were successful and had laws and policies put on the books. MMSD is apparently ignoring those statutes and policies. The Franklin Independent Journal is weighing in on this issue and will post additional updates. Our achieves are available for the general readership. You'll find numerous articles and links pertaining to this issue. We're in the process of also downloading open record request documents. That will take a bit longer to get posted.