Bill to Block Imported Foxconn Workers Proposed Print
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Written by Wisconsin Senate, Jay Wadd   
Thursday, 20 December 2018 17:50

foxconn-wisconsin-plantGreen Bay Senator Hansen to introduce bill banning State tax dollars to pay for jobs at Foxconn not done by U.S. citizens.


MADISON - State Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) said that he plans to introduce a bill that will prohibit state tax dollars from being used to subsidize wages of workers who aren’t U.S. citizens and who don’t live in Wisconsin. The announcement comes on recent news stories concerning Foxconn’s plan to bring in engineers from China and the ability of Foxconn to receive cash payments from the state for jobs done outside Wisconsin.

dave-hansen“Not one cent of our tax dollars should be paid for any jobs that are not done by American citizens living here in Wisconsin,” said Hansen. “We shouldn’t be paying to subsidize jobs being done in China or even any other state in the U.S.”

The whole point of Foxconn according to Scott Walker and the Republicans was that it was going to transform the state’s economy. But Foxconn has continually backed away from their promises.

“They have said they are only going to hire 2,000 workers and use robots for the rest. We’re hearing they plan to bring in engineers from China and that the plant itself is going to be less than half the size originally promised. Now we find out that we might still have to give them millions in cash payments for people who don’t even work in our state or maybe even in our country.”

In response Hansen said he plans to introduce legislation that will prohibit state tax dollars from being used to subsidize any jobs not done by U.S. citizens living in Wisconsin.

“The point of creating new jobs isn’t to collect a few tax dollars from some worker in China, if that’s even possible, it’s supposed to be to grow our economy and have money being spent with other businesses right here in our state. Clearly, using our tax dollars to support a worker in California or China fails that test.”

Hansen said he intends to introduce the bill when the Legislature convenes in January.