Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau)
Senate Republican Leader Scott Fitzgerald expects the Joint Finance Committee could hold a hearing on an incentive package for Foxconn later this month.
Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) had previously said he wanted to focus on getting the state budget passed first, which is now more than 40 days overdue. After meeting in caucus Thursday with other Republicans though, he now believes they could work to take up both at about the same time.
“If we can get both of these things done simultaneously and get this stuff kicked out of the Finance Committee, then we’d be in a good position to probably finish up the budget and also get Foxconn done, once people are comfortable with that bill,” he said.
Lawmakers being asked to approve an incentive package for the Taiwanese electronics maker, which has said it wants to build a factory in southeastern Wisconsin that could employ up to 13,000 people. The company plans to invest about $10 billion in the state, while the state would grant it about $3 billion in tax credits over the next 15 years.
Fitzgerald said JFC could hold a hearing on the bill on about August 22nd, while the Assembly could vote on the measure next week.
The Juneau Republican noted he still does not know if he has the votes needed to pass the bill in his chamber, and he did not ask them about where they stand during Thursday’s caucus. “I want them to go back…and kind of weigh whether or not they think the package is sufficient enough to warrant their support,” he said.