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Wisconsin Senator suggests Illinois should pay for part of Foxconn deal

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Illinois

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson appeared to suggest Tuesday that the $3 billion burden to Wisconsin taxpayers to locate a Foxconn plant in the state should be shared with their neighbors to the south.

“The question is, should Wisconsin be the one to bear the full three (billion dollars)? Illinois and their workers will benefit. America will benefit,” Johnson said, referring to the fact that some of the Foxconn labor pool will likely come from across the border.

The Wisconsin senator said the public-private partnership ratio in the proposed Foxconn project is a good deal. The Taiwanese company will pay $10 billion to build its plant with the state kicking in up to $3 billion in incentives.

On a side note, Sen. Johnson’s campaign manager is now Gov. Rauner’s campaign manager.

* Tribune…

Gov. Bruce Rauner and Intersect Illinois, the state’s nonprofit economic development arm, earlier this year made a pitch to Foxconn through the University of Illinois. Foxconn has a presence in the university’s research park, and Illinois alumni within the company.

In a February letter to Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou, Rauner talked up the state’s transportation network, engineering and manufacturing talent, cheap energy prices and roster of global companies, and outlined potential financial incentives, according to emails obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:04 pm

Comments

I’m no Artist of Deals, but wouldn’t considerations like that have been negotiated before the deal was struck and the press releases issued?

Just a thought from an Illinois alumnus and resident with no interest whatsoever in giving a thin dime to Wisconsin.

Enjoy that highly automated factory near the border, though. Sure to be chock-a-block full of Wisconsinites earning lavish wages without Union representation.

Comment by illini97 Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:09 pm
WI needs to pay for the border wall between our states! no wait….. WICE agents to deport Illinoians…

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:09 pm
It wouldnt surprise me one bit if Illinois joined the parade.

Comment by Blue dog dem Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:09 pm
Great. We’ll give them an IOU…

Comment by Mr B. Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:10 pm
The long-term numbers don’t even show the taxpayers of Wisconsin benefiting from this deal. Thanks but no thanks.

Comment by Harvest76 Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:12 pm
As I understand it, the Republicans in Illinois, including Rauner, want to cut spending and not increase it.

Comment by Hit or Miss Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:13 pm
How about no? Should have thought of that before the fact, not after.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:14 pm
This could be the fastest case of buyer’s remorse ever recorded.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:14 pm
Well, when you build in Kenosha, you’re asking for Illinoisans to throw their apps in

Comment by Sugar Grove Stooge Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:14 pm
I’d say…

Buyer’s remorse is a… taxing… mistress.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:15 pm
Rich would block me if I attempted to post my actual reaction to this suggestion. Suffice it to say, you made this deal so you own it. ALL of it.

Comment by Snarky with intent Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:16 pm
“Sure, sure. No problem. Why don’t you put together an invoice and send it on down. We will shoot it over to the Comptroller. You should see the check in no time.”

Comment by Montrose Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:16 pm
With the poor track record for the company actually building a factory and hiring workers (Penn,Indonesia), who knows what will actually happen there. Maybe there will be more robots than human employees.

Comment by Nearly Normal Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:19 pm
Sorry, Sen. Johnson but if you wanted to negotiate a regional deal, maybe you should’ve done that before you agreed to terms with Foxconn.

Comment by Get a Job!! Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:20 pm
What a dumb idea. Illinois shouldn’t have to pay anything for a Foxconn deal since it’s not in Illinois.

Comment by Steve Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:20 pm
Hmmmmm. No.

Comment by How Ironic Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:21 pm
How socialist of Sen. Johnson. Odd for a “conservative” to break that way. Guess he isn’t dedicated to the market economy concept.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:21 pm
Sure. “The check’s in the mail.” Seems like Wisconsin is figuring out it wasn’t such a great deal.

Comment by Lamont Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:21 pm
Some of you youngsters will get another crack at Foxconn moving into Illinois the second the expiration date with Wisconsin expires.

Comment by Blue dog dem Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:22 pm
No EDGE credits or state deals should ever be handed out unless there is a firm guarantee of a certain number of good paying, full-time jobs. Otherwise, it’s just corporate welfare.

Comment by Lamont Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:23 pm
If Wisconsin is having buyer’s remorse, we could trade them a couple dairy cows for Kenosha.

Comment by A Jack Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:23 pm
Wasn’t it the Tribune that blamed Madigan that we couldn’t land this deal? Lol.

Confirms the beliefs that many on here share; Illinois won this deal.

Comment by Seats Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:29 pm
Won’t even grace this idea with the Ray M. memorial gesture.

Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:29 pm
What happened to “this is a big win for Gov. Walker” and “if only Illinois were more business friendly and had passed Gov. Rauner’s agenda?”

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:31 pm
And because they look at my house so much, I want my neighbors to pay part of the bill for my new siding.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:31 pm
Spit-take and a good laugh. Thanks.

Comment by Markus Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:32 pm
Sen. Johnson, you can pay for your own corporate welfare boondoggles. If you need money, ask Uihlein to move to WI near his corporate welfare plant you gwve him so he can pay that max personal income tax rate.

Tell you what we’ll do: we’ll take Aaron Rodgers and his fat contract off the hands of your socialist NFL team.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:37 pm
Johnson isn’t looking for votes from Illinois.

Comment by Keyser Soze Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:45 pm
Does this make us Mexico?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:49 pm
I know Rauner would love to race Wisc to the bottom, but we’ll pass on this….

Look at the bright side it will probably never happen

Comment by JohnSchmidt Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:54 pm
Mistrust is the price of perfidy as has been said here. We can’t trust Intersect Illinois the Rainer for profit privatization vehicle. Intersect failed to get non-profit 501c3 status and is not subject to FOIA

Can we trust Rauners intersect illinois?

Nope

Wisconsin is going get clobbered on this.
read the Great American Job Scam
To see how Foxxcomm will do it

Comment by Perfidious Pete Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 12:55 pm
Sen. Johnson, exactly how much did Wisconsin contribute to the Motorola Harvard cell phone factory incentives? ($0.00) It’s only fair that Illinois should contribute an equal amount to the Foxcomm deal. A large number of Wisconsin residents worked at the Harvard factory.

Comment by DuPage Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:11 pm
Stunning. Just stunning.

Comment by Rookie Writer Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:12 pm
Come on this isn’t a real suggestion from a real US Senator is it?

Comment by DuPage Bard Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:17 pm
Audacity born of desperation. Reminds me of Lost in America with Albert Brooks trying to convince the pit boss (Gary Marshall) to give back the nest egg money wife lost. Couple loses money. Casino gives it back. Great advertising.
Pit Boss: “I beg your pardon?”

Comment by 37B Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:19 pm
Perhaps we could also retroactively ask Wisconsin to pay for 75% of the 2002 Soldier Field renovation to reflect how that project benefited the Packers.

Comment by JM1997 Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:25 pm
You break it, you bought it.

Comment by Jibba Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:30 pm
Well they refer to us as Fib’s so tell this Senator to go stump jumping and leave Illinois out of it

Comment by Porgy Tirebiter Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:34 pm
===Illinois and their workers will benefit. America will benefit,” Johnson said===

Well then, federal tax subsidies it is. Oh, by the way Sen. Johnson…IL says ‘bite me’.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:41 pm
What say you Rauner? Do you want to bail out your favorite example state?

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:45 pm
Honeybear. Help out old Blue. What were those details on that car factory boondoggle we are involved in. I am at a loss.
.

Comment by blue dog dem Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 1:52 pm
We’re the ones who paid for O’Hare International Airport, Ronny. That’s the only reason the plant needs to be there. The least you can do is kick in the 3 bil.

Comment by igotgotgotgotnotime Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 2:03 pm
Since Scott wants to drug test SNAP recipients in Wisconsin, FoxConn and all of its Welfare recipients should also be subjected to the same thing.

Comment by Mike Cirrincione Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 2:05 pm
Caveat Emptor dude.

Comment by GraduatedCollegeStudent Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 2:19 pm
Now that’s damned funny. Seriously? Scott Walker makes a bad deal and we’re supposed to pay for it. How’s this for a headline? “Illinois to Scott Walker: Bite me”

Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 2:31 pm
This is so dumb for so many reasons. Does Wisconsin pay us for Chicago, O’Hare, etc. and all the jobs that creates for Wisconsinites, both here and on their side of the border?

Foxconn put one over on your dimwitted governor, leave us out of it.

Comment by chi Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 2:34 pm
Dear Wisconsinites:
There are plenty of cheeseheads here in IL who support the Packers, which gives WI all the recognition it deserves from IL.
Cheesehead, yes. Knuckleheads, no.

Comment by Winnin' Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 2:48 pm
Lol, the whole thing is a con, like most things Trump related. Not a dime from Illinois.

Comment by Ron Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 4:07 pm
Sen, Johnson, to be polite, is not the brightest bulb in the box.

Comment by oldman Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 4:17 pm
hahahaahahahahahahahahahaha

Comment by Soccermom Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 4:34 pm
I can only wonder how long it will be before John Kass write a column on how Illinois should take over southeastern Wisconsin to bail out Scott Walker’s follies and call it Oligarchville.

Comment by Chicago 20 Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 5:30 pm
Kass did just call out Trump at least.

Comment by Ron Wednesday, Aug 16, 17 @ 7:31 pm