Miss the debate tonight? Read this recap in the Baraboo News Republic. wiscnews/baraboonewsrepublic/news/local/article_34460148-2153-503f-9eb5-a61a231ec207.html Candidates for the 81st Assembly District seat separated themselves on issues of voter identification, the minimum wage, redistricting and the state’s troubled transportation fund during a forum Thursday night in Baraboo. “This is not about discrimination,” Republican attorney Ashton Kirsch of Baraboo said about the state’s voter ID law, which will not be in effect for the November election due to a recent U.S. Supreme Court order. “This is about using an ID to help a system that’s failing us.” Kirsch faced off against Democrat and retired teacher David Considine of rural Baraboo in a debate sponsored by the Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce, the Baraboo News Republic and Circus World Museum. The two men are vying to replace Rep. Fred Clark, D-Baraboo, who will not seek a third term. Kirsch said identification is required to purchase everything from fishing licenses to nail polish remover, and he supports a law passed by Republican legislators that requires all citizens to show some form of ID at the polls. Considine challenged the necessity of the law, saying there was only one confirmed case of voter fraud in the last Wisconsin election, and that an ID requirement wouldn’t have prevented it. He suggested a compromise in which people over 60 years of age and the disabled are grandfathered in, and not required to get identification. Kirsch quickly shot back that poll workers would not be able to verify whether someone was grandfathered in if they did not have identification. But when it came to the question of raising the state’s minimum wage, Kirsch was less definitive. He said the state should be focused on boosting workforce training programs, and that the minimum wage is simply a wedge issue used by the two parties. “Accordingly, I will sit down and talk about this,” Kirsch said. “I’ll put politics aside and do what’s right.” In what seemed to be a shot at his opponent, Considine responded: “I want to answer the question. The simple answer is, no, people can’t live on $7.50 an hour. And, yes, we need to raise the minimum wage. That’s just a very simple answer. It’s not political or anything else.” Considine also said he favors the Iowa model of redrawing political district boundaries as a response to criticisms that Wisconsin politicians use the process to solidify the power of whichever party is in the majority. “I think that plan can work,” Considine said about the Iowa model, which uses a nonpartisan panel to draw new district lines every 10 years. “It’s worked next door in Iowa for a long time and it requires no change to our Constitution.” Kirsch said he believes the current system is unfair and that both parties have exploited it. But he did not lend support to the Iowa model. “Ive seen nonpartisan panels, and in many situations, they’re more partisan than the partisan panels,” he said. “I’m open to looking for bipartisan solutions to this.” The two candidates took alternate stances when it came to the states transportation fund, which is $80 million in the hole. Considine said he would support some sort of rise in fees, such as license renewals or the gas tax, to fix the transportation fund. He said its simply not possible to cut taxes and spend more on infrastructure at the same time. Kirsch said he would rather see lawmakers and transportation officials prioritize projects before raising taxes or fees. He blamed Democrats for raiding the transportation fund three times under former Gov. Jim Doyles watch, saying such actions should be criminal. Kirsch said Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s bill to repeal collective bargaining privileges from public sector employees would not have been necessary if politicians had worked together. He pledged to work with lawmakers across the aisle to avoid such situations in the future. Considine, a former teachers union president, said collective bargaining units were as much at fault as lawmakers for the budget crisis that led to Act 10. However, he said, he would work to repeal the law if elected because collective bargaining helps ensure good working environments for employees. Considine said he opposes an ATV track and shooting range at the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area, while Kirsch said he would consult with officials and other interested parties to find a solution that is appropriate and protective of the environment. Both candidates lent support for jobs training programs and promised to work with legislators on both sides of the aisle. Kirsch and Considine will square off in the Nov. 4 election. The 81st District includes parts of Columbia, Dane, Iowa and Sauk counties.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 02:47:28 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015