Public waiting to testify at Foxconn Hearing in Madison

 

State officials have announced plans to bring a multi-billion dollar investment to Wisconsin last week.

Now, the public is waiting for a chance to make their voices heard on the potential state incentives that could be offered to bring Foxconn to Milwaukee. During a public hearing, a lot of the tough questions fell on people inside Governor Scott Walker's administration.

Eight administration officials spent more than two and a half hours taking questions from a panel of republican and democrat representatives. 

Concerns over taxpayer funded incentives and allowing Foxconn to work around state environmental regulations led some of the questionings.

Some legislators also pointed to near minimum wage level pay Foxconn employees in California get so they wondered how the administration is so sure that employees here in Wisconsin would get higher pay. 

Administration officials were asked why the package doesn't mandate a minimum wage for Foxconn. The explanation -- if Foxconn wants incentive money it has to pay people between $30,000 and $100,000 a year.

"If they pay someone 29-thousand dollars.. .they don't get any incentive. If they pay them 30-thousand… they will get an incentive based on the first dollar that's paid," said Mark Hogan, WEDC CEO.

A group called Americans for Prosperity which is generally favorable of Governor Walker and Wisconsin Republicans came out against the Foxconn incentive package.