Members of the Mount Pleasant Village Board have given unanimous approval for the biggest economic development deal in Wisconsin history.
The vote on Monday gives Foxconn Technology Group about $764 million dollars in local incentives to build a flat-screen plant which could bring 13,000 jobs to the region. Foxconn plans to build a 25-million square-foot manufacturing complex just east of Interstate 94, with construction starting next year. As part of the deal, the company will actually receive 12-hundred acres of land for free.
Despite broad support for the plan, some members of the village board did express concerns. Village Trustee Gary Feest said he would have preferred more public input on a decision that will tie up taxpayer money for the next 30 years. “This, to me, seems almost non-participatory for the residents,” he said ahead of the vote.
The Racine County Board is slated to take up the same agreement on Tuesday night.