SOMERS, Wis. — Somers voters overwhelmingly rejected the village’s fire department referendum Tuesday night, dealing a major political loss to liberal Village President George Stoner (D), the Somers Fire Union and village officials who aggressively campaigned for the tax increase.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Unofficial results show 1,417 voters opposed the referendum, while 920 supported it. The measure failed by roughly 20 percentage points.
The referendum would have permanently increased the village’s property tax levy by $1.3 million to hire eight additional firefighter-paramedics. Village officials said the money was needed because the department responded to a record 1,778 calls in 2025 and experienced 728 overlapping calls for service. Officials also said current staffing only guarantees two ambulances can be staffed at one time.
The proposal would have added about $115 annually in taxes for every $100,000 in assessed value. Village officials estimated the owner of an average Somers home assessed at $355,000 would have paid about $405 more per year in property taxes beginning in late 2026.
Stoner was at a conservative election-night gathering Tuesday when the referendum results came in. According to multiple people present, he became visibly upset and got into a heated exchange with Trustee Jackie Klapproth Nelson.
One attendee confronted Stoner about Somers’ extensive use of tax incremental financing districts, telling him that residents are being “taxed to death” while village tax dollars are diverted to subsidize private development projects instead of things like roads and fire protection.
According to witnesses, Stoner responded: “Fuck you, you don’t even know what a fucking TIF is.”
Stoner later declined additional comment beyond the vulgar exchange.
Somers has among the highest concentrations of TIF districts in the state. TIF districts allow municipalities to direct future property tax growth from designated areas toward subsidies for private development projects and related infrastructure instead of immediately using those dollars for regular village services.
Critics have argued that Somers has spent years subsidizing millionaire developers while neglecting core needs like roads, fire protection and emergency services.
The failed referendum comes as village leaders continue pushing major development projects, including the controversial 200-unit Somers Flats subsidized apartment complex proposed near Somers Fire Station No. 2.
Critics of the referendum argued that village officials cannot continue approving large apartment developments, subsidized housing projects and new TIF districts while simultaneously telling taxpayers the village is out of money and needs a major property tax increase.
Supporters of the referendum argued the village needed more firefighters because of rapid growth and sharply rising emergency call volume. Village officials said the additional staffing would have allowed Somers to fully staff all three ambulances at once and improve response times.
The defeat is a significant setback for Stoner, Klapproth Nelson, the fire union and village officials who spent heavily on mailers, signs, public presentations and advertising in an effort to convince voters to approve the tax increase.
42 Responses
Bye-bye. Don’t let the door hit ya in the ass.
Stoner is everything that is wrong with Somers. Disrespectfully, get a haircut you old turd
💯
Nobody will run against this guy !
You all complain there in Somers yet you keep voting him in !!!
Why is that ??
Good God, will someone grow a pair and run against him ?
Why don’t you run against him?
If Stoner would stop with the TIFs, he would have the tax revenue he needs. Not sure why he wants homeowners to cover all the expenses.
Check how much is going to him under the table to be approving all those TIF districts. Follow the money.
Stoner is small time connected and he’s getting careless. He’s too comfortable and he needs to go. There is an enormous amount of waste and I think it’s time more residents scrutinized the Village and Town budget and start organizing, communicating and calling it out. George could do with a refresher on local government ethics.
Somers is going in the wrong direction. The farmers and residents do not need more warehouses and high- density housing developments.
Sounds like UnPleasant Prairie
Stoner
Stoner
I’m shocked that he got mad. I have been going to the board meetings and work sessions over the last couple of years. From his comments at these meetings, you would have thought that he was against the referendum.
He flip flops
Housing developments cost money. They use more services than their taxes cover. Light industrial and commercial contribute to the tax base. Crappy apartments use up police and fire resources.
Stoner is such a joke. He also needs to shave off that creepy mustache.
Maybe if George lived up to his last name and smoked a little devil’s lettuce he’d be more mellow
Agreed lol
The taxpayers have spoken. End of story!
>>The taxpayers have spoken. End of story!<<
And they'll be ready to file all kinds of lawsuits when the firemen/emts can't get to them in five minutes.
Nice language for a person that is a representative for the village of Somers really?
Well, he’s called me “dear” twice – the two times I spoke publicly at one of the clown show meetings. He has zero respect for the residents of Somers — he is a self important asshole.
Point of order are your words to that.
Absent of proper decoram a statute requirement
Maybe if all those on State Aid wouldn’t call an ambulance for a stomach ache and they are made to pay the ambulance bill like everyone else, they wouldn’t need the additional firefighters to handle all the extra non-emergency calls! Same issues all around Kenosha County!! These damn low income people need to get a doctor and quit using emergency services for everything and wasting tax payer money and increasing everyone else’s medical insurance premiums.
All of those shiny new apartments are going to look like the hood in another 5-6 years. Maybe Somers should hit the corporate owners with a per unit “fire and ambulance” surcharge since that has caused the uptick.
Everything wrong with somers is tied to that board. With this water bullshit we could have had that line in when E was torn up in the 90s. They had that choice. As far as the referendum I’m glad it got shot down. Why should we be paying for Mastercraft infrastructure. That’s b.s.
Sounds like Somers has some of the same problems that Salem Lakes does.
Probably do, in some part, to Liberal inbreeding.
Somers thinks two ambulances aren’t enough, yet Salem can barely staff one. Count your blessings!
George is obviously a real class act. Do everyone a favor and resign before you make a bigger fool out of yourself and cost residents more money and embarrassment.
We don’t need any new apartment complex ! We are starting to lose that country feel!
Stoner sucks dick.
His girlfriend is a class act also! Waiting for a big pay day.
Why is punishing the fire department the solution to stoners stupidity? Majority of these comments are from people outside of Somers anyways so it’s not like you are going to do a damn thing about it
this isn’t punishing the FD. It’s not that we don’t want it, but you cannot tax residents to death either. Somers needs an official plan of how they plan to support the residents they are soon welcoming, and have already welcomed. With all of this constant high density building- 2 new complexes, 2 additional being built now. Residents on E subsidizing a water main 10k-30k/ house. Anonymous when is enough, enough? Let’s just forget the way he talks down to everyone who challenges him too, he’s a far reach from an even decent leader. Continuous catastrophic decisions that do NOT affect him personally.
Because under his leadership, the fire department has been punished, and no one wants to continue throwing money into a hole. When Stoner is gone, maybe the adults in the room can work this out.
Mr. Stoner was heard mumbling; there goes my kickback .
I see how Stoner conducts himself in such a professional way and with much integrity…the old fossil needs to retire ….miserable human being !
Kevin,
If you get a chance look into the Kemper Center. There are two boards and seems like Laura Belsky is on both and makes most of the decisions. Her market should have never been approved to go there. Parking is going to be horrible and parking on the soccer field between Kemper and Anderson Arts is a horrible idea. I’m sure you may know a couple of the board members. Look into some of the previous fired employees also. They may have a lot to say.
If I lived in Somers I would vote no for every spending/taxing increase referendum, period. Nothing flows until he goes.
Must be a rush job. I know it’s going to rain but today they quit at 3. Now no more work till Monday. What a joke!!!
Think scott Fredrick is any good. I don’t think he has the balls to stand up to the board. Let alone stoner. What does that tell ya!!!!
That’s actually his last name? I thought Stoner was his nickname.