JSOnline’s DayWatch reports the Washington County Board reneged on a $4 million payment to Cabela’s, which it agreed to provide in September 2005 as an incentive for Cabela’s to build in the Town of Richfield. Washington County Attorney Kim Nass warned that there would be “risks” if the board reneged on making this payment, but she didn’t specify. Well, I can think of two:
- Cabela’s will almost certainly sue for the money. Guess what, sports fans up in what used to be the most-conservative county in the state? Once the courts are done with this, it’s going to cost you far more than the $4 million whether or not Cabela’s gets its money.
- Other companies considering Washington County to move to will properly see the county as an entity that cannot be trusted. Considering Wisconsin is a tax hell, the inability to offer tax breaks and taxpayer cash without being laughed out of the room is not going to be an asset in the competition for business.
Washington County would have been better off if it never signed that deal.
