Court Gives Wisconsin Town a Taste of the Back of Its Hand

This is a troubling ruling.

In a decision that some say could have a devastating impact on rural communities in Wisconsin, the 4th District Court of Appeals has ruled that a town can’t stop direct annexation of a property by a village.

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“This decision will allow the creation of islands within the town,” McCumber said. “It will allow the village to cherry-pick prime real estate - we have a $7.5 million resort that the village could take, and we couldn’t do anything about it.”

Wisconsin law treats towns like a diseased cat locked in the basement, and every once in a while, a court decides to wander over and kick the cat for fun.