⚾ Ballpark Commons Valuation Jumps 64% — While Velo Village Plummets

 

By Franklin Community News

State report shows sharp swings in Franklin’s TID valuations — raising questions about fairness, accuracy, and who benefits.

📌

Fast Facts from Our Investigation

• $50M jump with no construction: Ballpark Commons (TID 005) shot up 64% in one year despite no major new building.

• Strauss doubles: Strauss (TID 006) soared by 176%, raising eyebrows about how values can shift so drastically.

• Velo Village drops: Velo Village (TID 007) lost 23% of its value in a single year.

• Corporate Park climbs modestly: Corporate Park (TID 008) rose by 13%, a steady gain compared to the wild swings elsewhere.

• Carma Labs skyrockets: Carma Labs (TID 009) jumped 247%, far beyond initial consultant estimates.

• Missed shortfall payments: Zimmerman’s Ballpark Commons project skipped nearly $935K in obligations — forcing Franklin into court (Case No. 24-CV-7479).

• Revaluation reset: In 2024, Franklin hired a new assessor (Forward Appraisal, LLC) under a contract guided by Director of Administration Kelly Hersh, a Nelson campaign ally.

• Political connections: Steve Taylor helped push The Rock through City Hall, later landing a job at the ROC Foundation. Nelson and Eichmann have been its loudest backers on Council.

• Winners & losers: Developers benefit from favorable reassessments; taxpayers bear the risk if values don’t hold.

• Citizen voices matter: The next Franklin Common Council meeting is Oct. 7 at 6:30 p.m. — a chance for residents to demand transparency and accountability.

The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) Equalization Bureau released its official 2025 Statement of Changes in TID Value for Franklin (August 8, 2025). According to this report, some properties in Franklin’s five active TIDs jumped in value by tens of millions, while others lost nearly a quarter of their worth.

• Ballpark Commons (TID 005): +$50.6M (+64%)

• Strauss(TID 006): +$47.2M (+176%)

• Velo Village (TID 007): –$11.8M (–23%)

• Corporate Park (TID 008, Oak Creek–Franklin SD): –$17.5M (13%)

• Carma Labs (TID 009): +$30.2M (+247%)  

These swings directly affect who pays for Franklin’s TID debt: the developers or the taxpayers. And with ROC Ventures (led by Mike Zimmerman) already in court with the City over a TID 5 shortfall, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

📊 Key TID Valuation Changes

TID / Area	2024 Value	2025 Value	Change	% Change
Ballpark Commons (TID 005)	$78.8M	$129.3M	+ $50.6M	+64%
Strauss (TID 006)	$26.9M	$74.1M	+ $47.2M	+176%
Velo Village (TID 007)	$50.9M	$39.1M	- $11.8M	-23%
Corporate Park (TID 008)	$134.9M	$152.4M	- $17.9M	+13%
Carma Labs (TID 009)	$12.3M	$42.5M	+ $30.2M	+247%

The Shortfall and the Lawsuit

In 2024, Franklin officials said the developer at Ballpark Commons failed to pay a required shortfall — nearly $935,000. The Common Council authorized litigation, and the City filed suit in Milwaukee County Circuit Court (Case No. 24-CV-7479) against BPC Master Developer, LLC and Mike Zimmerman.

Court-document summaries reported by FCN indicate the developer later paid $879,682.62 on May 8, 2024, but the City is still seeking reimbursement for attorneys’ fees (~$53,000). As of mid-2025, Council agendas show the case is still active in closed session — with no public resolution yet.

Hypothetical Analysis #1: Is City Hall Protecting The Rock?

The sharp rise in Ballpark Commons’ valuation, combined with missed shortfall payments and an ongoing lawsuit, raises a troubling possibility: Is Franklin’s leadership protecting the developer instead of the taxpayers?

$50M Jump With No Construction
In one year, Ballpark Commons’ value leapt by 64% ($78.8M → $129.3M), even though no major new construction occurred. Normally, a spike like this comes from actual investment. Here, the leap appears to come from reassessment

One explanation could be simple political protection. If City leadership views Zimmerman as a key partner in Franklin’s growth narrative, they may have quietly tolerated non-payment — hoping reassessment would “fix the math.”

“ If the numbers don’t match reality, who are they really protecting — the taxpayers or The Rock? 

Valuations as Bailout

When the valuation spiked, the shortfall all but disappeared on paper. Suddenly, the TID looked like it was producing enough revenue to stand on its own. That meant Zimmerman no longer had to make up the gap.

From a taxpayer perspective, this looks like a bailout without transparency: instead of the developer writing a check, the numbers were massaged until the problem vanished.

Taylor & Zimmerman’s Financial Gain

Zimmerman directly benefits from a higher valuation that wipes away his shortfall obligations. Steve Taylor — who pushed The Rock through as Alderman and Supervisor — later landed a job as Executive Director of the ROC Foundation. That role let him oversee government relations and operations for The Rock, drawing a paycheck tied to the project he helped push forward. Both men gained financially while taxpayers held the risk.

The Role of City Hall Staff & the New Assessor

These valuation swings didn’t happen in isolation. Franklin completed a city-wide revaluation in 2024 under a new 2024–2026 contract with Forward Appraisal, LLC. Director of Administration Kelly Hersh — who worked on Mayor John Nelson’s campaign and was advanced as the only finalist for her position despite not meeting the posted qualifications — was listed as the City’s point of contact on the assessor RFP. With Hersh guiding the procurement and the new assessor presenting directly to the Common Council, Franklin’s property values were reset across the city. The outcome: Ballpark Commons’ $50M spike and Velo Village’s dramatic swings, shifts that neatly eased Zimmerman’s shortfall pressure while raising taxpayer concerns about whether political loyalty outweighed independent assessment standards.

Winners and Losers

• Winners: Zimmerman, who avoids paying shortfalls; Taylor, who parlayed political influence into a paid role at the ROC Foundation; City Hall leaders, who can claim success; political allies like Nelson and Eichmann, who gain credit for “supporting development.”

• Losers: Taxpayers, left exposed if values collapse; residents, whose trust in government erodes.

Hypothetical Analysis #2: A Balancing Act That Benefits The Rock

Looking at all five TIDs together, a pattern emerges: one drops, another rises, but Zimmerman still comes out ahead.

• Strauss (TID 006) more than doubled (+176%), raising questions about how such dramatic swings can happen in a single year.

• Velo Village (TID 007) fell sharply, losing 23% of its value.

• Corporate Park (TID 008) climbed modestly by 13% — not nearly as dramatic as the others, but enough to tip the balance sheet upward.

• Carma Labs (TID 009) skyrocketed by 247%, far beyond the $30M valuation that even consultants once doubted.

The net effect: despite two TIDs losing value, the sharp gains in Strauss, Carma Labs, and Ballpark Commons leave the overall TID picture looking stronger. Conveniently, that reduces pressure on Zimmerman’s shortfall obligations — shifting the benefit to the developer while taxpayers still shoulder the risk.

The net effect: the math balances in a way that relieves pressure on Zimmerman’s obligations — at the public’s expense.“One project’s value drops, another shoots up — and somehow, it all adds up to protecting Zimmerman from paying shortfalls.”

Best-Case Scenario: What If This Really Is for the Greater Good?

If these values truly reflect market strength, Franklin taxpayers could still come out ahead:

• Ballpark Commons (+64%), Strauss (+176%), and Carma Labs (+247%) together push TID values far higher than forecast.

• Corporate Park (+13%) adds steady growth, even if modest.

• Velo Village (–23%) drops, but the overall balance remains strongly positive.

In this scenario, TIDs cover their own debt, no shortfalls are needed, and Franklin could even retire TID debt early. That would free up millions in new property tax base for schools, parks, and essential services — achieving the very goal TIDs were designed for.

But for this outcome to be credible, the valuations must be transparent, consistent, and free from political influence. Without that, what looks like a best-case win could instead be a carefully engineered bailout.

“In the best case, taxpayers win: the debt is paid off early, the schools and city get a bigger tax base, and the community benefits for generations.can 

Call to Action: Make Your Voice Heard

Franklin’s future will be shaped not just by numbers on a report, but by the choices of our elected officials.

The next Franklin Common Council meeting is Tuesday, October 7 at 6:30 p.m. — and citizen voices need to be heard.

Why show up?

• To remind Council members that transparency and accountability are not optional — especially when millions in TID dollars are at stake.

• To demand answers about dramatic swings in property valuations, why shortfall payments were missed, and whether taxpayers or developers are really carrying the risk.

• To insist that residents — not political insiders or campaign allies — set the priorities for Franklin’s future, and that public trust cannot be sacrificed for private gain.

• To show that Franklin taxpayers will not be silenced, even when figures like Zimmerman, Taylor, Nelson, and Eichmann try to frame The Rock as untouchable.

This is not just about spreadsheets or court filings. It’s about fairness, trust, and protecting the community we all share. Every voice matters — and your presence can help ensure Franklin’s leaders put residents first.

The Bottom Line

Franklin residents deserve clarity. Litigation over unpaid shortfalls, combined with sudden multi-million-dollar valuation swings, raises real questions of accountability.

But if the numbers truly reflect growth and stability, the community could ultimately benefit — paying off the TID early and expanding Franklin’s tax base for the greater good.

Franklin Community News will keep pressing for answers. We will not be silenced by political pressure. We will continue to investigate, expose, and report on corruption in Franklin. Please support us by liking our page on Facebook: Franklin Community News.