All Republicans for, all Democrats against in Foxconn $3 billion incentive package from Wisconsin

All 23 amendments proposed by Dems were
defeated, including calls for higher min. wage

So far, those for and against a massive incentive package for Taiwan-based manufacturing giant Foxconn are lining up strictly along political party divides.

Monday, an Assembly committee in Madison voted yes on the $3 billion incentive package – all Republicans for, all Democrats opposed.

All 23 amendments proposed for the bill by Democrats were defeated, including calls for a higher minimum wage.

“If we do not guarantee a living wage,” Democrat Christine Sinicki said, “a high wage, a wage that people can actually live on – can feed their family, put clothes on their back, a roof over their head – we’re just creating another whole population of working poor.”

Democrats called for a higher minimum wage than the $30,000 average minimum in the bill. A wage that’s unfair to those workers when you look at the numbers, according to Democrat Amanda Stuck.

“These people who are only paying $15 an hour are expected to pay $1,200 per household to this billion-dollar company,” she said. “I think it’s only fair that they be getting a living wage knowing that they’re having to pay this company to be there.”

A recent analysis found it would take 25 years for taxpayers to recoup the incentives going to the company.

Democrat Tod Ohnstad is among those looking for guarantees about wages and jobs.

“There has to be kind of a bare minimum in terms of the number of people that we’re talking about,” he said.

The full assembly votes on the incentive deal Thursday.