Gov. Tony Evers says it’s “unrealistic” to think Foxconn will create the 13,000 jobs it had pledged given the company’s plans to scale back the original project.
He also said he’s looking to potentially revise the company’s contract with the state, saying the current document “deals with a situation that no longer exists.”
“Clearly the deal that was struck is no longer in play, and so we will be working with individuals of Foxconn and of course with WEDC to figure out how a new set of parameters should be negotiated,” the guv told reporters yesterday in his Capitol office.
Evers added it’s “premature” to say what changes to the contract could be on the table but said the state needs to examine the contract “and see if it needs to be downsized as a result.”
When the Foxconn project was first unveiled, the company announced plans for large screen production at what’s known as a Gen 10 facility as part of a $10 billion investment with plans to hire up to 13,000 people.
But it then scaled back to a Gen 6 fabrication facility — a commitment it reaffirmed last month amidst media reports suggesting the Racine County facility could become more of a research and development hub with packing and assembly functions.
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