Issues
“Making Tough Decisions; Finding Real Solutions.”
HEALTH CARE: I believe at every citizen should be able to afford health care coverage. I also believe that people need to take a more active role in the management of their health care, to insure that the best value for their money is being received. Health care is an issue which requires top priority, because the strength of our economy is directly related to it’s exorbitant costs. Once we get health care costs under control, maybe we can put an end to businesses closing and relocating out of the country.
PROPERTY TAXES: I would support legislation that would provide real tax relief, not ploys that just shift the tax burden from one source to another. Unfortunately, real property tax relief will probably mean making cuts in services. We need to use some creative thinking to find ways to consolidate how we provide services, rather than eliminating them. I back the Wisconsin Way, which is an effort showing our needs for a 21st century workforce. These include a quality infrastructure, and a tax structure which is more in line with our technology/service based economy.
JOBS/ECONOMIC GROWTH: A strong economy is essential to long term economic growth. We need to find ways to attract and keep businesses here in Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin System leads the country in biomedical and environmental technology. These are the kinds of high paying jobs that will hopefully attract young, talented individuals, who are vital to our state’s economic growth. I believe in the collective bargaining process and our unions right to stand up and fight for good jobs, benefits and wages which in turn benefit members, families and communities.
EDUCATION: I support a free and quality public K-12 education. I am opposed to attempts at privatizing our educational system. I oppose revenue caps, and QEO. I am a strong advocate of special needs children, and will fight to make sure they are afforded a complete and quality education. I support the University of Wisconsin System and the Wisconsin Technical College System . We need to find ways to make it affordable for Wisconsin residents to improve their quality of life through education.
ENVIRONMENT: I support tougher legislation to protect the quality of our air, soil and water, such as tougher penalties for violations involving manure run-off or spills and unlawful discharges into our lakes and streams. Wisconsin needs to be the leader in keeping Great Lakes water in its original basin of origin, and deny access to any other state other than the eight Great Lakes States. We need to protect and preserve our valuable natural resources for future generations.
