Wisconsin Republicans Move Foxconn Hearing to SE Village of Sturtevant

Boondoggle in Badger State

Madison, Wisconsin — Republicans on the legislature's Joint Committee on Finance have moved a scheduled Aug 22 public hearing on the $3 billion-to-Foxconn bill to the village of Sturtevant, (population 6,970), in southeastern Wisconsin in a continuing effort to hide the unpopular corporate give-away from public scrutiny.

The move is critical to the broader Republican strategy to discourage public participation on the proposed massive give-away to the Taiwanese corporation, Foxconn.

Earlier this month Republicans stacked a previous legislative hearing with supporters, and would not allow public testimony of residents holding anti-Foxconn views until near the end of the hearing. Because of the scale and impact of the unprecedented public subsidy to Foxconn, Republicans need to protect themselves from the population's wishes and concerns about the $3 billion give-away.

"Noone is surprised by what Republicans are doing to quell public participation and voicing of public sentiment," said Jackie Captain, a native of Wisconsin Rapids now living in Dane County, "The Foxconn madness has to be done in the dark because the bill simply cannot stand the scrutiny of the light of day."

Clean water proponents in central and northern Wisconsin want the $3 billion dollar Foxconn subsidy as much as they want to take a trip to Sturtevant.

From the Wisconsin Joint Committee on Finance

JOINT COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Notice of Public Hearing -- August 22, 2017

The Joint Committee on Finance will hold a public hearing on the following items at the time and location specified below:
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
11:00 AM
SC Johnson iMET Center
Gateway Technical College
2320 Renaissance Boulevard
Sturtevant, WI 53177

August 2017 Special Session Senate Bill 1

Relating to: authorizing the creation of an electronics and information technology manufacturing zone and, in connection with that zone, authorizing certain tax benefits, creating special provisions for tax incremental districts, creating exemptions from wetland and waterway permits and Public Service Commission certificates; making changes to the enterprise zone tax credit program, authorizing limited use of the design-build construction process, authorizing certain counties to issue debt backed by sales and use tax revenue, facilitating a worker training and employment program, making changes to town incorporation procedures, granting contingent highway bonding authority, and making appropriations.


ALBERTA DARLING                        JOHN NYGREN

Senate Chair                                        Assembly Chair

Wisconsin Assembly Votes for $3 billion to Foxconn, Senate Vote Looms

Madison, Wisconsin — Facing mounting public opposition, the Wisconsin State Assembly voted decisively to give a Taiwanese corporation, Foxconn, some $3 billion in public funds.

Defecting Democratic assembly members voting for the unprecedented legislation include Rep. Peter Barca, (D-Kenosha), a noted corporatist and the minority leader of the Assembly Democrats, widely disdained across the state.

Writes Allen Ruff of Madison on Facebook

Concerned about the repercussions in their home Racine and Kenosha districts and in absolute disregard for mounting criticism and critiques of the Republican-proposed project on numerous levels—economic, fiscal, environmental— these three Democrats, (Reps. Cory Mason of Racine and Peter Barca and Tod Ohnstad of Kenosha), opted for the low road of political expediency. They, perhaps more so than the vile conservatives and piratical free-marketeers touting the panaceas and false promises of this mega-venture, should long be remembered and penalized for their complicity.

No political observer was surprised by the Assembly vote, nor the defections of Reps. Mason, Barca and Ohnstad.

The next step is a hearing in the Joint Committee on Finance next week.

The date, time and place of the hearing to this date on August 18, is being kept from the public to discourage participation.

Democratic members of the legislature speculate the Republicans may move to a secret executive session despite or perhaps because of the magnitude of the legislation.

The Foxconn legislation also faces a vote in the State Senate.

A public rally in opposition to the Fox Con bill is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. today at the state Capitol in Madison.

Wisconsin Resident Wants Foxconn Referendum

A state that is too broke to repair roads or support public
education somehow has piles of $ for an exploitative Taiwanese
company? (Twitter)
Pictured above is anti-Foxconn sign by the Overpass Light Brigade,
overlooking an unidentified highway in Milwaukee in
mid-August.

Madison, Wisconsin — A Ridgeway, Wisconsin resident is speaking for many in demanding consent and due diligence on the largest swindle in Wisconsin history, a $3 billion give-away to Foxconn.

Republicans led by Donald Trump, Gov. Scott Walker and Rep. Paul Ryan, (R-Janesville, Wisconsin), say an unprecedented bill must be passed by the state legislature by Sept 30, or Wisconsin misses out.

From a letter from the Wisconsin State Journal:

As a lifelong resident of the once great state of Wisconsin, I would like to have the Foxconn deal put on the ballot as a referendum to the people of this state.

It is our billions of dollars, and we should have the right to decide how we would like that money spent. The referendum should be simple and clearly stated to give the taxpayers and voters the choice.

Penny Koerner, Ridgeway

Wisconsin Republicans know an advisory referendum on the proposed $3 billion give-away would face overwhelming defeat at the polls. So, the chance of a Foxconn referendum coming from the gerrymandered legislature is nil

Wisconsin Foxconn Costs Exposed: $One Million-plus per Job

Susan Hessel of Wisconsin comments on the Foxconn scam,
(Facebook)

Madison, Wisconsin — If the state of Wisconsin gave you $1 million could you create one job that would last at least 15 years?

That's the question facing Wisconsin in mid-August as state assembly Republicans have taken committee action to move forward Assembly Substitute Amendment 1, a bizarre scheme that would cost tax-payers "up to $1.5 million per job if the company creates and retains 1,000 jobs over a 15-year period," an analysis shows.

Walker and Republicans believe tax-payers have money to burn so Gov. Jobs Failure is happy to spend $3 billion and give it all to one Taiwanese corporation, Foxconn.

"As any fiscal conservative knows, the state simply can’t afford to hand over a $1 million check per job to every CEO in this state. That’s not how our private sector is supposed to work. If the bill doesn’t have stronger accountability provisions to ensure job creation targets are being met, taxpayers could be left subsiding a larger portion of this project than we’re being led to believe," said State Sen. Jennifer Shilling, (D-La Crosse).

As the gargantuan costs of the unprecedented give-away takes hold, many Wisconsinites are echoing the words of Susan Hessel, a small business manager in Dane County. "Shit! I'll create *25* jobs per million dollars. Give the money to me!," (Say No to the Fox Con, Facebook).

The state Assembly's machinations are regarded as less-than-decisive on whether the Foxconn bill passes the legislature.

The state Senate vote will be telling. That vote is expected in late August or early September.

Sen. Shilling's recent comments are reproduced below.

Foxconn tax break could exceed $1 million per job
Under GOP proposal, job costs could skyrocket if company falls short on promises

MADISON – State taxpayers could be on the hook for as much as $1.5 million per job under a newly released substitute amendment proposed by Assembly Republicans. According to the revised bill language, Foxconn could receive tax credits worth up to $1.5 million per job if the company creates and retains 1,000 jobs over a 15 year period. The high cost per job raises serious questions regarding the state’s break-even point as Assembly Republicans attempt to fast-track a vote with little public input.

"Rather than rushing through a $3 billion tax break for a foreign corporation, we need to make sure Wisconsin taxpayers aren’t being taken for a ride," said Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse). "As any fiscal conservative knows, the state simply can’t afford to hand over a $1 million check per job to every CEO in this state. That’s not how our private sector is supposed to work. If the bill doesn’t have stronger accountability provisions to ensure job creation targets are being met, taxpayers could be left subsiding a larger portion of this project than we’re being led to believe."

According to Substitute Amendment 1 introduced by Assembly Republicans, if Foxconn were to create 1,000 jobs and retain those positions over a 15 year period, the company could receive a check from the state for $1.49 billion – approximately $1.5 million per job created. Given the high volatility in the electronics industry, workforce shortage issues and the company’s stated desire to automate its manufacturing operation, it is unclear how many of the promised jobs will materialize.

Foxconn has a well-documented history of failing to meet promised job creation goals. The Washington Post and numerous media outlets have reported on several major projects in Pennsylvania, Indonesia, India, Vietnam and Brazil that failed to produce the number jobs that were promised. #

A state that is too broke to repair roads or support public education somehow
has piles of $ for an exploitative Taiwanese company? (Twitter)
Pictured above is a highway in Milwaukee in mid-August.

Wisconsin Organized Labor in Wait-and-See Mode on Foxconn Scam

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO is
registered as neutral lobbying principal
on the Foxxonn legislation,
(August 2017 Special Session
Assembly Bill 1)

Madison, Wisconsin — As the $3 billion boondoggle sails through the Wisconsin State Assembly on party-line votes, people are starting to tune in ask and, 'where is labor on this?'

Maybe today after Republicans rejected all pro-Wisconsin amendments authored by Democratic legislators in a legislative committee, (Beck, Wisconsin State Journal), the AFL-CIO will come out against the Foxconn bill, (Special Session Assembly Bill 1).

Noone doubts organized labor is against the Fox Con, but waiting while Republicans work to ram through the $3 billion give-away is not wise.

Foxconn Boondoggle Is Electoral Ammo Wisconsin Dems Seeking

Update: "If Dems are smart, they’ll come out strong against this scam as it goes through the Legislature in the coming weeks, and tie it around the necks of any Republican who dares to sign off on this pre-election corporate welfare," (Jake's Econ).
 ---
Madison, Wisconsin — The Republican scheme to donate $3 billion in public monies to corporate shareholders is a hard sell in Wisconsin, (Foxconn or Fox Con, Say No to the Fox Con, and Fox Con and Water).

For Wisconsin Republicans the public will and welfare of the state have never been considerations for public policy.

The Foxconn scheme is about Republicans transferring from tax-payers' some $3 billion to private Taiwanese interests, and no matter the fiscal and economic damage in the state then declaring rectitude and job creation is the 2018 elections.

The question is: Is the moribund Democratic Party in Wisconsin savvy enough to clobber the Republicans?

Will Republicans holding office in Wisconsin state senate, (20 (R) - 13 (D)), be vulnerable to a message of, 'if they think have $3 billion to burn, don't give our money away to Taiwan.'

Twenty-three of Wisconsin's 72 counties are swing, or pivot, counties, (Ballotpedia). Notes Ballotpedia, "Nineteen Senate districts in Wisconsin intersect with Pivot Counties. As of June 2017, Republicans controlled 14 of them, (Ballotpedia).

Of those 14 senate seats, (though gerrymandered), the Democratic Party should have begun looking at which Republicans can be recalled.

As a life-long Wisconsinite, I guarantee you Obama-to-Trump votes do not believe giving away the store to Taiwan and Illinois is a compelling message.

Ask former Sen. George Petak how working families like subsidizing private corporate interests.

Petak was recalled in 1995 after voting for a .1 percent sales tax increase for a new Brewers stadium.

Wonder how the $3 billion for a Taiwanese corporation will play.

Wisconsin Rips Foxconn $3 Billion Boondoggle

Madison, Wisconsin — Ask folks in the northern two-thirds of this state what they could do with $3 billion to stimulate the economy and few would say, 'give it all to one Taiwanese corporation whose CEO calls Foxconn workers, "animals,'" (Marley, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel).

Yet, this is precisely what Gov. Scott Walker is proposing as the national business press shakes its collective head and wonders how credulous are the Wisconsin people. Not so much, polling shows.

As Walker tries to ram through the largest public subsidy in Wisconsin history for the benefit of corporate bad guy, Foxconn, each day reveals another outrage.

From Jud Lounsbury in Uppity Wisconsin:

It's very simple math.

Approximately one-third of Foxconn jobs will be filled by people living in Illinois, which means that one-third of the whopping three billion that Wisconsin taxpayers will be spending will be going toward Illinois residents:  One billion.

It also means that every dime Illinois Foxconn workers earn will be spent and taxed in Illinois -- not Wisconsin.

The Fox Con is the most audacious scam in Wisconsin history and the word is spreading, (Foxconn or Fox Con, Say No to the Fox Con, Fox Con and Water).

Scott Walker is avoiding the public and retreating to rightwing radio, hoping desperation of workers under the Walker administration translates to don't ask questions about the $3 billion in public funds.

Said Allen Ruff, historian and social justice activist living in Madison:

"We understand, of course, that this proposed swindle is but the logical extension, the result of the effort to smash unions at the heart of 'Act 10' and the successful push to turn Wisconsin into a 'right to work' open shop state. Setting aside the tax subsidies and state's natural resources -- the availability of water needed for the production process and the plentiful sand needed for the operation's glass, Foxconn would not consider coming here if there wasn't a vulnerable and unprotected work force. Especially in light of the labor unrest that has swept through the company's Chinese factories in recent years,' (Facebook).

Price Tag of Foxconn in Wisconsin Brings Magic-Bean Economics Charge

Marcia Connor of Sun Prairie tells Gov. Scott Walker
that if he really has an extra $3 billion, then she wants
a lakehouse in the north woods, (Wisconsin State Journal).

Madison, Wisconsin — Gov. Scott Walker will do anything to make Wisconsin forget about his failed 250,000-new-jobs promise.

Now comes Walker's once-in-a-lifetime-and-if-you-act-now Foxconn jobs promise. And it costs Wisconsin only $3 billion and its clean water.

Marcia Connor of Sun Prairie in south-central Wisconsin voices the sentiment of many who think Walker's new scheme is a scam.

The $3 billion Walker is offering Foxconn stimulates the imagination for tangible economic activity. Ms. Connor's ideas deserve a hearing.

Writes Connor is a recent letter to the editor, "Will governor subsidize my lake house?"

How much money will Gov. Scott Walker have the taxpayers of Wisconsin give to Foxconn to install its company here? The State Journal has reported $3 billion over 15 years.

I am frustrated with subsidizing companies that are capable of covering their own costs. If they are not able to pay for their own buildings and any other costs related to building here, then they shouldn't be expanding.

I would like to have a lake house in the North Woods. Can Gov. Walker subsidize that for me? It will give people jobs to build the lake house.

Gov. Walker promised Wisconsin residents 250,000 jobs when he initially ran for governor in 2010. To date, seven years later, he still has not reached that goal. He is planning on running for a third term and would like to have Foxconn on his resume.

Like many families, Mal Contends would not a mind a new swimming pool in our backyard along with Connor's proposed lake house.

With Connor's new house, we would appreciate Scott Walker subsidizing a new pool for us with the understanding that we don't necessarily want local workers to do the job, are free to pollute, not pay taxes, and have no legal obligations burdening the regular folk.
---
Phil Hands of the Wisconsin State Journal has a cartoon out today mocking Walker and Foxconn's empty and exorbitant promises made at the expense of the Wisconsin people.

Walker's audacious Fox Con may be up.
---
Boon·dog·gle
ˈbo͞onˌdäɡəl/
- Work or activity that is wasteful or pointless but gives the appearance of having value.

Fox Con Falling Flat in Wisconsin

Foxconn installed suicide nets at work camps
to prevent Chinese workers from killing
themselves, thereby not fulfilling their
corporate function. Wage slavery, pollution
and resource depletion are good for the
labor force, assure Wisconsin Republicans.
Wisconsinites are saying, whaaat?

Madison, Wisconsin — Every day there appears a new story on the malfeasance and hype of Foxconn, (Foxconn or Fox Con, Say No to the Fox Con).

Last month Foxconn and Republicans announced an unprecedented tax payer money-water-sand give-away scheme to induce the controversial electronics company to site a plant in Wisconsin, (Washington Post).

But paying $ billions in tax payer funds to this Chinese corporate bad guy is now drawing attention, consideration and even due diligence. Foul, cry Republicans.

From Emily Mills in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

What seems like a dream at first glance, however, becomes far more of a nightmare when you dig just below the surface.

First, Walker wants us to pay for Foxconn to be here: an incentive package could total $3 billion, not including goodies the company could require of local governments, and an exemption on sales taxes that means zero tax revenue at a time when the state desperately needs new sources of just that. Instead, Walker’s bill includes $252 million in additional borrowing just to rebuild I-94 south of Milwaukee, which would become a key corridor for a plant currently planned for Racine or Kenosha counties.

If passed, the bill would require Wisconsin to pay Foxconn out of the state treasury for up to 15 years. It will cost us $519 per citizen, if the total number of jobs promised actually comes to fruition (don’t hold your breath). 

Falling for the Fox Con is an act madness.

For more info, see Foxconn or Fox Con, Say No to the Fox Con, (Facebook).

Foxconn Technology Co Ltd, looks to cash in on American taxpayers and
workers, (New York Times)