Foxconn Math: 13,000 Jobs in Wisconsin at a Cost of $4 Billion
*By Justin Chermol*
When President Trump joined Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Thursday to break ground for the new 20-million-square-foot Foxconn manufacturing campus they spoke enthusiastically about the 13,000 jobs that would be created and the positive economic jolt the state would enjoy.
“America is [open for business](http://www.wbay.com/content/news/President-Trump-in-Wisconsin-for-Foxconn-groundbreaking-486808641.html) more than it has ever been open for business," Trump said.
What Republicans saw as an economic win for Wisconsin, others viewed as a governmental giveaway on a massive scale.
Eric Boehm, reporter at Reason.com, says, “When you look at the numbers, Foxconn is winning here.”
“The President doesn't seem to see the economic incentives there,” explained Boehm when discussing Foxconn’s new campus.“On one hand the president is giving tax breaks to state, huge tax breaks to landless business. The White House policy - tax on imports - or essentially tariffs, is driving other businesses away.”
As part of the effort to woo Foxconn to Wisconsin, Governor Walker put together a $4 billion package of tax incentives and infrastructure improvements. That amounts to a [government subsidy of $307,692](https://venturebeat.com/2018/06/27/as-foxconn-breaks-ground-on-wisconsin-plant-incentives-hit-4-billion/) for each of the 13,000 jobs that the Foxconn factory is expected to create.
The Taiwanese-based company, specializing in making LCD screens, has pledged to invest up to $10 billion in the state.
President Trump, champion of America-first economic policies, jubilantly welcomed Foxconn into the state of Wisconsin. Ironically, Harley Davidson, a company just 30-miles from the new Foxconn facility, last week announced that it planned to move some motorcycle manufacturing to Europe because of retaliatory tariff that the EU has imposed on some products in an ongoing trade dispute with President Trump.
President Trump reacted to Harley Davidson's move with a Twitter tirade this past week, and on Thursday at the Foxconn opening stated, “Don’t get cute with us,” and to, “Build them in the USA. Your customers won’t be happy if you don’t.”
Though Boehm said Foxconn was a winner for with billions in tax breaks, he noted the possible benefits to the Republican Party. Foxconn’s new facility will increase employment and potentially secure Scott Walker’s third-term as Governor.
For the full segment, [click here.](https://cheddar.com/videos/trump-claims-victory-at-foxconn-groundbreaking-but-should-he-be)
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