ABC News Wisconsin: Gubernatorial candidate Tony Evers says he would renegotiate Foxconn deal
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tony Evers said he would renegotiate the Foxconn deal if he’s elected governor in 2018.
Evers, the state’s DPI superintendent since 2009, appeared on “UPFRONT with Mike Gousha,” produced in partnership with Wispolitics.com.
Evers said he would renegotiate whichever parts of the deal could be renegotiated.
“I don’t think it’s a fair deal for the people of Wisconsin,” Evers said. “I think it’s a bit of a Hail Mary pass. Three billion dollars, without environmental restrictions on the company and no guarantees on the number of jobs.”
The Foxconn Technology Group deal could drop a multibillion-dollar dilemma onto one of the two southeastern Wisconsin counties competing to land it.
The sheer size of the deal — and the state’s complex tax laws — might leave municipal and county officials in the winning community with a tricky decision.
During the development’s early years, they could be tempted to raise taxes on existing homeowners to ensure services keep up with the rapid growth around the Foxconn development. If they wait, these local officials would lose their ability to do so later on because of state property tax caps.
“You could see a big (property tax) increase and residents aren’t going to be happy with that,” said Dale Knapp, research director of the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, who examined the issue at the request of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Capital Times: Wisconsin budget committee set to take up K-12, building projects funding
The Legislature’s budget-writing committee will vote Monday on a spending plan for the state’s K-12 schools, moving the weeks-overdue state budget closer to passage — but details of the education package are still unclear.
“For the most part, stay tuned,” said Joint Finance Committee co-chair Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, when asked on Thursday what will be included in the plan the committee will consider.
Nygren said not much has changed since the state Senate and Assembly released competing education packages earlier this summer. Lawmakers have agreed to keep intact an increase in categorical aid proposed in Gov. Scott Walker’s original budget, Nygren said.
The budget will also likely include a measure to allow low spending districts to raise their revenue limits, both Nygren and co-chair Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, said.
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