Wisconsin Democrats continue to doubt Foxconn’s future
(The Center Square) – Democrats at the Wisconsin Capitol continue to discount and dismiss Foxconn’s future.
Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, on Thursday said he doesn’t believe anything that Foxconn says, including the recent announcement of a partnership with the electric carmaker Fisker.
“It’s almost four years, the state’s been played,” Hintz said during an online Q&A with WisPolitics. “Both the reputation of the company, and the reputation of Fisker makes it unlikely that there is going to be a car built.”
Hintz has criticized Foxconn for years. He said the electric car project is just the latest promise.
“[They promised] ventilators, coffee makers, $100 million to the UW System, innovation centers, Generation 6, Generation 10.5, an 8k ecosystem,” Hintz added.
Foxconn signed a deal in 2017 with former Gov. Scott Walker worth almost $3 billion to bring a next-generation manufacturing facility to Mount Pleasant for which Foxconn promised nearly 13,000 jobs.
But those jobs haven’t materialized. Foxconn downsized the plant, and changed direction from making screens for iPhones instead to other LCD screens.
Gov. Tony Evers has refused to pay any of Foxconn’s tax incentives. Evers, along with Hintz and other Democrats, has long criticized Foxconn’s deal.
Hintz said Gov. Evers is renegotiating with Foxconn, but said he’s not getting his hopes up.
“Gov. Evers, the WEDC would like to see a viable project, but they are not going to give away the farm” Hintz explained.
Foxconn and Fisker last month announced they are partnering to make electric cars. But neither company is saying when it will begin production, or where those cars will be made.
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