Governor Evers Says Foxconn Must Change Contract
Saturday, December 21st, 2019 -- 8:12 AM
(AP) -Foxconn Technology Group, the world’s largest electronics manufacturer, could still qualify for up to $3 billion in state tax credits in Wisconsin if it makes changes to its deal with the state to reflect current plans for a plant that’s under construction, Gov. Tony Evers said Thursday.Foxconn signed a contract with Wisconsin under then-Gov. Scott Walker in 2017 to earn nearly $4 billion in state and local tax incentives for a $10 billion display screen manufacturing campus and plant that would employ up to 13,000 people. The President heralded the deal as a sign of a revitalized American manufacturing economy, calling the envisioned plant the “eighth wonder of the world.” But since then, Foxconn announced it was downsizing the factory to what is known as a Generation 6 plant rather than a Generation 10.5 plant.
The facility envisioned now would make smaller thin-film transistor liquid crystal display screens for cellphones and other devices, rather than larger screens as first proposed. Evers and other Democratic critics said because the plant under construction differs from the one envisaged in the original deal, terms of the contract must be updated. Evers’ administration told Foxconn last month that until that happens, Foxconn can’t qualify for tax incentives.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.