Friday, July 27, 2018

Because $4.5 billion in public subsidies for Foxconn isn't enough, Bucky...

[7/27/18 update: Still nothing on Walker's Twitter feeds about your being billed for the $177 million Foxconn transmission line despite the billions in state and local subsidies being shoveled its way. Though I do see shoutouts to the Packers, Culver's and an upcoming cheese curd eating contest at State Fair.] 

You electric ratepayers statewide get to fund another giveaway - - a $117 million transmission line for the company.
Pewaukee-based ATC, which operates an electric transmission system and is owned by Wisconsin utilities, needed state approval to build the system. The cost would be paid for by an estimated 5 million customers over 40 years. 
The three Public Service Commissioners - - all Walker appointees - - signed off on the deal.

More about the varied taxpayer-provided, government-enabled grants, tax credits, environmental exemptions, legal favors, private property seizure allowances, air pollution permissions and Great Lakes diverted water perks for Foxconn in this summary post:
A Foxconn Fever Primer
[Updated continuously from June, 2017] This frequently-updated archive follows Wisconsin's award of $4.5 billion in state and local funds, plus waivers of routine judicial and environmental reviews, for a promised - - and already downsized from its original proposal - - Foxconn factory using a massive daily diversion of Lake Michigan water on Racine County open space, farmlands and wetlands. 
  

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

BREAKING NEWS: NBC/Maria poll is showing Marquette Law Poll to be suspiciously inaccurate, which shouldn't surprise anyone. Evidently, Foxconn is a problem for Walker, which is why he does not do any more appearances promoting it.



According to new polling from NBC News and Marist, just 34 percent of Wisconsin’s registered voters say Walker should win re-election in the fall, while 61 percent say a new person should be given the chance to lead the state.

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/399090-poll-scott-walker-trailing-dem-challenger-by-13-points

There is more at the link above, but I would take it the head-to-head polling with a grain of salt -- they poll only Evers as Walker's opposition. Polls do not matter if people do not turnout to vote. Evers is not going to excite voters in Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, and Beloit as his oversight of those schools has not resulted in anything positive.

IMHO, Evers will lose to Walker despite the recent polling data as only a turnout like 2008 and 2012 will defeat Walker. Relatively low turnout was a major factor in Wisconsin going for Trump, though there were other factors and that story is still developing.

The media is emphasizing the Evers/Walker data and this obscures the real story -- Walker is in trouble regardless of who wins the democratic nomination.

Anonymous said...

RE: NBC/Marist Poll

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/399090-poll-scott-walker-trailing-dem-challenger-by-13-points

Note how Tony Evers very significantly under-performs against the data on how 61% want to see a new Governor. He only has 54% support versus 61% wanting change. Walker also polls against Evers at 41% even though only 34% believes he deserves a third term.

This is a serious problem even though NBC/Marist has Evers significantly ahead of everyone else. The data suggests there is likely an enthusiasm gap and this is what could determine the outcome.

Anonymous said...

This is just another reason why we need a new governor that will not passively accept the sham Foxconn deal. Tony Evers has done even worse than passively accept it. He actively embraces:

Tony Evers makes stop in EC, says he would not end Foxconn deal if elected

http://www.wqow.com/story/38720934/2018/07/Tuesday/tony-evers-makes-stop-in-ec-says-he-would-not-end-foxconn-deal-if-elected

No democrat nor any self-proclaimed "fiscal conservative" should support Walker or Evers. There are clearly problems as Walker's deal appears to be illegal and against the state's constitution:

Legislature's lawyers: Some provisions in Wisconsin's Foxconn law could be unconstitutional

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2017/09/20/provisions-wisconsins-foxconn-law-could-unconstitutional-legislatures-attornonpartisan-analysis-find/684418001/

Portions of Wisconsin's Foxconn law could be unconstitutional, state analysis finds

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-foxconn-wisconsin-law-20170920-story.html

Foxconn package faces early constitutional questions

https://www.watchdog.org/wisconsin/foxconn-package-faces-early-constitutional-questions/article_8ecfb1d0-9e3d-11e7-95e9-63fc4a386688.html

Scott Walker’s Big Promises to Foxconn Factory Might Be Illegal: Experts

https://www.thedailybeast.com/scott-walkers-big-promises-to-foxconn-factory-might-be-illegal-experts

Bill To Attract Foxconn To Wisconsin May Not Be Constitutional

https://www.wtmj.com/newsy/bill-to-attract-foxconn-to-wisconsin-may-not-be-constitutional

None of these issues have been resolved, but the media has flushed this down the memory hole. No wonder Evers is the media's choice to oppose Walker. He will continue to ignore Wisconsin's Constitution. Evers, like Walker & his cohorts, hide behind a sham 2013 law that restricts court review of state legislation.

https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2017/09/15/op-ed-how-legislature-is-bypassing-the-courts/

And what the media is hiding about this law is a simple question: How can Wisconsin legislate away the balance of power across the legislature, executive, and judicial branches?

We know why Walker lies. We shouldn't accept Evers' lies. He does not represent any significant difference from Walker and this would become clear if he is elected and GOP continues to control the state legislature (which appears likely).