MADISON (WKOW) -- The Taiwan-based Technology Group Foxconn said it will remain committed to investing in Wisconsin after an article early this morning said differently.
A Tokyo-based newspaper, The Asian Review, reported that Foxconn was looking to scale back its $10 billion investment towards the plant. Shortly after it began circulating, it was updated and the Foxconn officials denied the report and said it's committed to keeping the manufacturing facility in Racine County.
Democrats were critical of the statement and argued this could be a sign that results in fewer secondary jobs.
"We have to be wondering if there sincere in their pledge to bringing 13,000 jobs to Wisconsin and to foot this $1.3 billion in construction costs, will we get any of that back?” said Jon Erpenbach, (D - Middleton).
In the company's statement it did not address whether it plans to reduce it's $10 billion investment.
"That uncertainty and the chaos it's disappointing nobody wants to see, even though I didn't support it. There weren't enough environmental protections or taxpayer protections -- but that doesn't mean I want to see it fail," said Erpenbach.
Republicans claim the report was false and the company will still be a first-of-a kind in the U.S. creating 13,000 jobs.
Democrats say this is not the first time Foxconn has backed out commitments in other states In 2013, the company planned to invest $30 million in a new factory in Pennsylvania. Five years later no factory or jobs.
"Even if the entire story in that Asian publication isn't true and it's somewhere in between that sure does look like Foxconn is cutting back on what they said they would be doing here in Wisconsin."
Foxconn began work on the site in Mount Pleasant earlier this month. An official groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for June 28.
For more on this story: http://www.wkow.com/story/38261713/2018/05/23/foxconn-will-stay-committed-to-invest-in-wisconsin