While Wisconsin paves way for Foxconn, Minnesota hesitant offering tax money, incentives to lure Amazon HQ

Gov. Dayton says state will be “restrained” as to protect home grown companies 

While the Republican-led Wisconsin Senate approved a $3 billion incentive for Foxconn, Minnesota is not so enthusiastic to land Amazon headquarters.

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton said Minnesota would be “restrained” in using tax dollars to lure the retail giant, looking out for local companies like Best Buy and Target.

Dayton said handing Amazon tax money and special incentives would, essentially, not look good to Target and Best Buy, which don’t get that special treatment.

Minnesota is also in a position where 17 Fortune 500 companies already call the state home.

“I did call Target and Best Buy CEOs on my own initiative and wanted them to know they are very important companies and major employers,” Dayton told the Star Tribune, which added both companies, which together employ 34,000 Minnesotans, expressed concern about using tax dollars from their companies and workers to attract a competitor to Minnesota, Dayton said.

Wisconsin’s Senate approved a package to Foxconn on Tuesday that, along with $3 billion, would include rewriting environmental and judicial rules for the company.