Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — The state added more detailed job creation benchmarks to its proposed contract with Foxconn along with a provision that would make company Chairman and CEO Terry Gou personally responsible if the Taiwanese manufacturer fell short of some promises. The contract, released this

Voters rejected the two largest school referendums on yesterday’s ballot. The Freedom Area District posted two questions to voters: one for $66.7 million to build a new high school and renovate existing buildings; the other was for $3.7 million associated with the proposed new high school. Both failed, according to

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — State Sen. Tim Carpenter said WEDC has been working on changes to the deal with Foxconn to “defuse the nuclear bomb” that could hurt taxpayers if the company goes bankrupt or leaves Wisconsin. Still, Carpenter, a member of the Wisconsin Economic Development

State Rep. Cory Mason plans to resign his Assembly seat Jan. 15 following his election as mayor of Racine. Mason, who will be sworn in this evening, suggested in a letter to the guv a timeline for the special election to fill his seat. The Jan. 15 resignation of Mason

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said while he’s “definitely open” to the bill to revoke parole for someone who commits a crime while on release, he also wants to bring in an outside consultant to verify the bill’s cost estimates. Vos, speaking to reporters before the Assembly floor session, said if

Exclusively for WisPolitics Subscribers From WisPolitics.com … — Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Board members received copies of the Foxconn contract today, the offices of Dem board members Rep. Dana Wachs and Sen. Tim Carpenter confirmed this afternoon. WEDC Secretary and CEO Mark Hogan on Friday notified board members via email

The Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin formally announced it intends to sue the feds over the planned Back Forty mining project in Upper Michigan. The tribe, which is represented by San Francisco-based environmental law organization Earthjustice, filed the 60-day notice of intent to sue today. In the notice, the tribe contends

GOP state Sen. Jerry Petrowski isn’t saying yet whether he’ll vote for the mining bill due on the Senate floor tomorrow, but he told WisPolitics.com this afternoon he “did a lot of work” on an amendment the Assembly added to win support from his caucus. Petrowski, R-Marathon, said he typically

The Dairy Business Association fired off a round of letters to state lawmakers today in opposition to an “ill-conceived” bill that would allow for the redesigning of the state’s license plates. The bill, from Rep. Scott Allen, R-Waukesha, would require the Department of Transportation to open an art contest for

State Dem leaders railed against Gov. Scott Walker in a press call this morning, days before he’s set to announce his official re-election bid. Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz and State Dem Party Chair Martha Laning also touted the growing Dem guv field looking to

Department of Administration Secretary Scott Neitzel says he’s not looking to expand downtown Milwaukee’s convention center unless existing revenues can cover it. Noting that the community, businesses and others are for expanding the Wisconsin Center, Neitzel, who’s also chairman of the Center District, told a WisPolitics.com luncheon in Madison on

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation board members will be receiving a copy of the Foxconn contract before it’s signed. The decision, announced in an email today to board members from CEO and Secretary Mark Hogan, comes following mounting public pressure to allow board members to review the document. Earlier this week,