Wednesday, September 6, 2017

WI lawmakers hand Foxconn newer, bigger favor

Not content with exempting Foxconn from state permitting and environmental reviews, or letting it skip paying $150 million in construction-related sales taxes, or handing to the company $2.85 billion in business income taxes it didn't have to pay in the first place, the legislature's budget-writing committee added this only-for-Foxconn privilege:

Immediate review by the State Supreme Court of any District Court ruling (and those rulings' immediate suspension until the State Supreme Court issues a decision), thus giving Foxconn fast access to a court whose 5-2 right-wing majority members are either personally beholden to Scott Walker for their initial appointments to the judiciary or share with him influential, major campaign donors.

If that precedent is set, expect the big mining companies, industrial-scale animal feedlots and dairies, and other large businesses which directly impact the air, land, water and public treasury to demand the same judicial shortcut.

More here on Foxconn and the favors Walker-led Wisconsin is showering on the company at public expense.

This is more than giving one company the keys to the castle. It's also giving Foxconn access to a special castle back door so their officers and lawyers won't even have to climb the front steps.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Who needs the rule of law? We have a state to sell off and ain't no one gonna stop Walker.