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Fire Causes Estimated $50,000 In Damage To Twin Lakes Home; Chief Credits Staffing And Volunteers
TWIN LAKES, Wis. — A fire at a home in the 200 block of Hawthorn Drive caused an estimated $50,000 in property damage Tuesday, October 27, according to Twin Lakes Fire/Rescue. No one was home when the fire broke out, and no injuries were reported. Firefighters were dispatched at approximately 12:05 p.m. after initial reports indicated smoke and flames were visible from the
October 27, 2026
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Likely Story.
But why even say that ?
Just take the money and let the news get out as it did. The people at the counter and those that told them to say, “the computers are down” created an issue that didn’t need to be created.
Tripping over there own mistakes.
Highly doubt it is the Tif district. More likely the $1.9 million loan work around to avoid levy limits passed in November.
There is an old saying in life “you dont have to have a good memory if you tell the truth” the same is true if you are really representing a republic people tend to know this especially when you’re not.
To bad the nimwit voters in this village wouldnt recognize a patriot for their cause even if he jumped out of bushes and bit them in the ass!
If the TID shows up on the bill as a line item, then just a mistake. If not it’s more transparency deflection something this Village lacks. They have broke the record for the most closed sessions ever. The Village has become a secret society and you ain’t in it.
Did they bill too much or not enough?
Well they always bill too much but you know what I mean.
Not enough
Dammit. Thanks
Why i think their public statement regarding a tif computation is not plausible.
Point 1. TIF districts like the Salem Business Park (TID #1, established around 2017 for that 65-acre industrial site) are already embedded in the village’s levy calculations from previous years. When the Village submits its certified levy data package to the Kenosha County Treasurer (typically by early November, per Wis. Stat. § 66.0603), any TIF adjustments would need an explicit “removal” or amendment if it were being phased out or corrected. If it was included last year (2024 bills) without issue, the error would more likely stem from a new variable in this year’s package—not a retroactive TIF fix, which would require DOR (Department of Revenue) certification and could trigger audits. Publicly blaming the TIF keeps the narrative on a familiar, ongoing topic (TIFs are often debated in village meetings for diverting base taxes), avoiding deeper dives into levy maneuvers.
Point 2: Levy Limit Hit and November Workaround Timing: This aligns perfectly with the 2025 levy cycle. Under Wisconsin’s levy limit law (Wis. Stat. § 66.0602), villages like Salem Lakes can only increase their levy by the inflation factor (about 3.3% for 2025, per DOR estimates) plus net new construction—capping it around a 4-5% bump from 2024’s ~$5-6 million village levy (based on historical summaries). Hitting that cap isn’t unusual for growing areas like Salem Lakes (with its mix of residential growth and business park development), but it squeezes budgets for services like roads, fire, and utilities.
The “loan to levy” (more precisely, borrowing against future levies via general obligation debt or interfund loans) is a standard workaround approved in November board meetings. It lets the village front-load debt service into the current levy without exceeding the limit, as debt payments for post-2005 bonds are exempt from the cap (per the Levy Limit Worksheet, Section D). From agendas and minutes (e.g., the February 2025 board packet you might have seen), there’s evidence of recent financial tweaks, including ordinances on under/overpayments and staff discussions on budgeting. If the workaround wasn’t fully baked into the November data send to the county, it could manifest as understated village portions on bills—triggering a recalculation. The timing (post-November approval, pre-December mailing) fits an internal glitch, and downplaying it publicly avoids scrutiny on debt levels, especially since only ~20-30% of residents track levy details closely (per typical WI municipal engagement stats).
In short, the TIF narrative is likely a “soft landing” for public comms—easier to explain than admitting a levy engineering hiccup that might raise questions about fiscal planning.
Dont mind me I am not running for office!
… even I understand it. I think.
You are saying that we are being lied to !
While this first bill now needs to be corrected, I think a full explanation at the next board meeting with a power point is warranted !
Better be there Rita !
You will get nothing of the sort!
Busar even flinches and rejects, when trying to hand her a constituent concern in writing.
You bring some authenticity to your comments as they refer to village property taxes. Keep in mind that your total property’s tax bill is comprised of many taxing entities of which the village portion is only about 25% of the total. Where you are wrong is that several years ago the formula for property tax increases changed per state statute away from inflation and instead said it cannot increases by more than the total value of new construction. In Salem Lakes that means that they are capped at a 1% increase. There are some adjustments that can be made that total however The village portion of the TIF is one portion of the total, but it is not a listed separate amount on your tax bill, but rather part of the total tax levy. That tax levy will increase about 22% next year over the projected 2025 actual, 2025 = $6.7 M , 2026 budgeted at $8.15M.
Looks like Village spending is up about 3 million dollars in one year based on the chart on the other story. Right? or am I missing something? My taxes went up about 28% just in Salem line item. It’s still 28%, right?
Holy crap that’s a lot of money!
Bottom line? Salem Lakes is broken on backbone except Poli. And when you don’t have a spine, yaw get run over.
But hey, change is coming’. And this time, it isn’t pocket change. It’s the kind that votes. Billy boy Hopkins and Ron Nat, time to step aside and let someone else giver a try, cause you ain’t working.
Poor Willy Marshall Jr, Wasn’t it you spouting how great the electing of Rita and her friends was going to be ? How did that “change” work out? LOL
I supported Change, it just didn’t quite clear the bar. The good news is that a new election can still bring morning to Salem Lakes, assuming we can all survive the current midnight. I remain hopeful. Good public servants aren’t a dime a dozen around here; they’re more like rare birds.
What does it cost to send a tax bill out again, probably 10’s of thousands of dollars
Ask the treasurer: [email protected]
For fucks sake I thought that was it, fake!!!
Can we not find ANY good employees?!
New totals are online. Added another $280 to my bill🤬
The shit show will continue. Although my tax changed just 20.00 higher my full payment is shown due. Even though I paid it already.
There is going to be false delinquencies all over the place and if there is no back up record of people paying to reintegrate into the county system AND if any folks paid cash AND didnt keep a reciept could be a lot of loose change hanging around in the coffers.
Check yours it online now https://www.kenoshacountywi.gov/963/Property-Taxes
Revised property taxes are up at the county. Just goes to show their lack of solid operations combined with bad comms makes a mess of good will.
The increase for me was about $10.00. Not the worse case scenario previously projected.
The error exposed the $1.9 million above levy limit work around which if Salem Lakes did not implement our taxes would have gone down $196.00 per 100k of value.
The loan and immediate levy was a complete psyop to keep that reduction in their coffers.
Sad that Salem Lakes felt so entitled to that money that they did that loan to keep our money in their pockets.
The picture has become clearer to me. Taxes would have went down $196.00 per 100k of property assessment and this board, or who spoons feeds them, knew they could not let that happen! No one would know a difference if they kept it.
Yet from a positive public relationship we’d be carrying them through the street on a cherub if they let property taxes fall like that.
Instead they choose the wrong path!
You can view your update here
https://www.kenoshacountywi.gov/963/Property-Taxes
No way taxes were ever going down. Have you seen the spending? Instead of making tough choices, they whipped out a cute little magic trick. It’s called the “debt service levy,” which is bureaucrat‑speak for: We don’t need taxpayer approval after all. And off they go -Borrow, Baby, Borrow.
And why no referendum? Oh, that’s easy. Because deep down they know we’d make the tough decisions they refuse to touch. Can’t have the adults in the room voting, right?
Why is Trustee Polli the only one that questions anything? What happen to Faber and Gand they use to be budget hawks?. Hopkins has always been a spender. Barhyte, I think forgot to show up for the vote, Bucur and Broaks, I’m not sure where they stand, but they voted for this spending. We are in for another crazy election. My Mom and Dad live in Paddock Lake, their taxes went down like 20% ,WTF
If Salem had remained the Town of Salem, they would have to get approval at the annual meeting of electors/taxpayers to borrow money.
They decided it was easier to be a Village and not get approval from the electors. They can/are just doing as they please and thumbing their
noses at us.
I’m not sure whether to like or dislike these comments; I like that they are correct in what they say but dislike the why. Damnit VoSL get your sh*t together!!!
Already paid my taxes. Not getting any more. How many people work there and still can’t get it right. They got more people there now then before and getting paid more. Things have not been good since the new board took over. Need to make your vote count when the election is held. Hiring a new administrator from Minnesota is a scary move.
The Minnesota thing is definitely odd, but we only have ” Hope left”. Things have not been good in this Village, funny the only voice of opposition on the board is hated by staff, board and certain virus infected citizens, they must have taken the shot. Time for Change again! This is exhausting! Please will some people run with some common sense and brains, pretty please.
And on top of these increases, TWC is proposing a $1.9 million per year referendum while their current $800k per year hasn’t even expired. Sad