Thank You, Candidates

On behalf of the Oshkosh League of Women Voters, the Oshkosh Public Library and the Oshkosh Community News Network, I thank you for taking part in this online debate.

Over the last six weeks, we have posed 10 questions and published your answers. As of today, more than 1,600 unique visitors have come to the site.

These statistics strongly suggest that there is great potential in using the Web log format to further our political discourse and encourage civic engagement.

The sponsors greatly appreciate your willingness to be part of this experiment in using the Internet to strengthen our democracy.

Question No. 10: Gregg Underheim Response

The term structural deficit refers to the condition of the state budget in the next fiscal year. A structural deficit is the difference between the committed and expected spending and the expected revenues. Small structural deficits have been a common occurrence in Wisconsin.

Recently a much larger structural deficit has accumulated in Wisconsin. It was primarily a function of the downturn in the economy in the year 2000 and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. However, it is also true that during the 1990’s when the economy was very good state government increase spending and provided tax cuts as well. When the economy slowed, those actions also contributed to the structural deficit. At the opening of the last fiscal year the state had a structural deficit of $3.2 Billion. That is a large sum. However, other states faced even larger problems.

In the last state budget the Governor and most of the legislators promised that they would address the problem through cuts rather than through tax increases. We kept that promise. We lowered the structural deficit to around $700 million. And in so doing we improved our tax ranking among the other states because other states addressed their deficit problems by increasing taxes.

When we eliminate the structural deficit this budget we must again do so through restrained spending rather than through tax increases.

Each state has its Big Five or Big Three or Big Six. Those are the major state programs that consume the bulk of the state spending. In Wisconsin the Big Five are K-12 education, Medicaid, Corrections, Shared Revenue, and the University. Those five areas constitute more than 80% of Wisconsin’s spending. To eliminate the $700 million deficit over the next biennium it will be necessary to restrain spending in those areas.

Let me make some suggestions as to how it will be possible to make long-term savings moves in some of those areas.

First, in corrections, it may be possible to save money through alternative programming for non-violent offenders. However, we must make certain that offenders placed in alternative programming are truly non-violent. Being convicted of a non-violent offense is not proof that one has not committed a violent offense. Criminals put into those programs must be carefully screened to make certain they are truly non-violent.

Second, we must begin the inevitable march toward the use of technology as a teaching tool. The computer has revolutionized the world. We make things faster, better, and cheaper than we have ever done before. The computer is the tool that has made that possible. It is beginning to creep into education. In some places students who were disruptive were moved to computer based education programs. They became high performing students. After that success the computer was piloted in traditional classes as a teaching tool. It was successful. Students liked it. Test scores improved. Universities across America have recently been involved in serious research about computer-based instruction in lower level classes, the 100 and maybe 200 level courses. The outcome was very promising. Costs were lowered. Students performed well. Students liked the approach.

In the Medicaid program a large percentage of the costs are due to people with long term chronic illnesses. We manage those patients poorly. All too often they end up going to hospital emergency wards. We can save money by managing their care more effectively. They will receive better care at a lower cost to the taxpayer.

Of course, most everyone who follows politics has read about abuses of the state’s car fleet. We need to sell some of those cars and better manage travel. It is likely that the state would save money by reimbursing state employees for state related travel rather than buying state cars. It is all too often the case that a state car sometimes becomes used for personal purposes. There have certainly been some high profile cases of that recently.

In closing, I’d like to thank the mangers of this blog for the work they have put into this project. Second, I want to ask the citizens of Oshkosh to vote for me on November 2. I have demonstrated that I have courage, that I am not a hard partisan, that I think and act reasonably and in the interest of the public, not special interests. It has been an honor to serve Oshkosh in the Assembly. I hope to be granted that honor again.

Question No. 10: Dan Carpenter Response

First, the 700 million dollar deficit we now face is much better than the 3.2 billion dollar deficit we faced previously. That doesn’t mean that we’re quite there yet, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. The one thing I will not do is raise taxes on the already overburdened middle class public.

To deal with the deficit we have to begin un-doing the acts of the Democrats and Republicans that got us to this point. I don’t mean we need to merely reduce the increase in taxes, but we must begin to eliminate the programs that were created to appease special interest groups that have been paying for the campaigns of our legislators. There has been much discussion during this campaign about reducing government red tape to improve development of jobs in this state. What we need to do is concentrate on the programs that are not essential to its operation. Governor Doyle has ordered 10% cuts across the board to help reduce the deficit, but let’s go further and eliminate unnecessary agencies that are not essential.

Specifically, we need to audit all departments such as was recently done with the UW System. While there may be some disagreement about who is an administrator and who is not, it is clear that we need to re-align our priorities. The recent audit of the state-owned automobiles revealed a tremendous amount of waste and abuse of the system.

We need to continue this pattern and ferret out all waste and abuse of the system that has been created by Republicans and Democrats who, year after year, have continued to vote for a budget that is way out of line with what taxpayers can afford.

Throughout this campaign Tony Palmeri has hammered home the idea that we have to stop freeloading corporations operating in this State. He is absolutely right. When we spend our money at a local bank or chain department store there is no reason that the money we spend should be transferred to out-of-state corporate offices and little or no taxes are being collected by the State of Wisconsin. Let’s close these loopholes and increase revenue from those who can most easily afford it. This hasn’t been done in the past because lawmakers are afraid of offending the goose that lays the golden egg for them. That is why I have refused to accept or even seek any funds for my campaign from public, private or corporate PACs.

I mentioned previously that the budget deficit has been reduced drastically. That has been done to a great extent by the veto pen of Governor Doyle. He needs to continue to use that pen and we need to stop the nuisance challenges from people like John Gard and his partisan legion. I would support efforts to reduce the budget deficit through veto and refuse to be intimidated by either party into supporting legislation that is unnecessary and destructive to our State budget. The only way to do that is by electing independent- thinking candidates like myself to go to Madison and fight for the people of the 54th District and the State of Wisconsin.

No. 10: The $700 Million Question

On July 28, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau sent a memo (PDF) to Sen. Michael Ellis (R-Neenah) on the condition of the state’s general fund. In that memo, the bureau estimated that the state’s structural deficit is $700 million.

In other words, the state has an ongoing gap of that amount between what it spends and what it raises. (Some estimates are even higher, but for the purposes of this debate, we’ll stick with $700 million.)

In the past the state has dealt with the structural deficit in part through one-time funding mechanisms that have provided substantial amounts of money. Aside from such mechanisms, the only ongoing solution will be either to cut spending or raise revenue.

It’s easy to say in general terms how to address the problem. Some would say increase taxes, and others would say make government more efficient. Voters in the 54th District deserve to know your specific approach. As they say, the devil is in the details.

It may be too much to ask any single legislator to solve the budget problem, but citizens should know what your plan is and how close it will come to solving the problem.

Please explain how you think the structural deficit should be fixed.

Would you cut any programs to solve the structural budget deficit? Which ones and by how much?

Would you raise any taxes or fees to solve the structural budget deficit? Which ones and by how much?

Please tell us about any other ideas you have for addressing this issue. Please explain how much of an impact on the structural deficit these ideas would have.

Question No. 9: Gregg Underheim Response

Gregg Underheim did not respond to this question by the deadline. His position, described in an e-mail received Oct. 22, appears as a comment below.

Question No. 9: Gordon Hintz Response

Gordon Hintz did not respond to this question by the deadline.

Question No. 9: Dan Carpenter Response

The budget for transportation is high in Wisconsin, there is no doubt about that. However, the reasons for the cost are somewhat obvious. First, Wisconsin is a northern state where frost and salt take a heavy toll each year. Already, that is going to put us far ahead of southern states. As I have driven the highways over the years I can’t help but notice how quickly nice smooth roads deteriorate into washboards. Unfortunately, that is one of the problems with our climate.

Second, we are a more populous state than, for example, Wyoming. We have more people and more industry and, therefore, require a larger system of roads. It just makes sense that these factors are going to put us in the upper range of expenditures for roads among all the states in the country.

I would hate to see us go to a toll system to fund road projects. We desperately need a solution to improve the “death trap” at the 41/21 exchange and the Butte Des Morts Bridge but I would not want to stop at a tollbooth every time I want to cross. If a toll system were limited to the large freeways around Milwaukee or Madison I might find that a possibility.

I think there is always room for efficiency in any area of government. However, I see our transportation system like the foundation of a house. If it is neglected and crumbles, the house eventually collapses into a hole. We all depend upon our system of roads in one way or another. Whether we use them to get to work or to get groceries to our local supermarket, we all need a good system of roads. There has been much talk about jobs during this campaign. Industry cannot thrive in an environment without a good transportation system.

Local government can always do a better job of stretching available funds. Having been a public servant for 34 years I have seen waste over and over. There is no doubt that this waste can be cut. In order for that to happen, we must all become more vigilant and active in local government affairs. Let’s get up off the couch and attend budget hearings and express our opinions about how our money is spent.

Question No. 9: Transportation

In an article published Jan. 21, 2002, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (registration required) reported that Wisconsin spends one-third more than the national average on highways. The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute said in a 2003 report (PDF) that the amount was more like 40 percent higher than the national average.

Meanwhile the usual sources to fund transportation projects are falling way short in addressing the transportation needs of the State.

Do you support a user fee/toll system to pay for the reconstruction of the Marquette Interchange and the freeway system in southeast Wisconsin?

Are there ways to bring down the costs of road construction and maintenance in the state?

Do you think local governments can do a better job of stretching the available funds?

Please explain your answers.

Question No. 8: Gregg Underheim Response

There are some very important social issues that probably can’t be solved by legislatures. They involve the coarsening of the culture, and the polarity of the polity. Perhaps politicians could help by not demonizing those with whom they disagree on issues. All too often the political debate is not about issues. Rather it is about how evil people are who hold specific views. If someone does not support more money for education that person is not challenged on the basis of that view, rather he is accused of being against children. Similarly, someone who supports gay marriage is not challenged on the basis of his stand, instead he is accused of being a homophobe. The debate in politics has degenerated to a very clever attack on character rather than a true debate on issues. It should not be too much to expect candidates who seek to be stewards of Wisconsin to set a proper example.

That said, let me address the issues mentioned in Question 8.

I oppose abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is at stake.

I am a supporter of the 2nd amendment. Some argue that the second amendment was intended to provide for a militia. I believe it was written to protect the individual’s right to bear arms. No less an authority than Lawrence Tribe, famous liberal lawyer, agrees. Mr. Tribe then goes on to argue that we therefore repeal the 2nd amendment. I disagree with him on that point.

Additionally, I support carrying concealed weapons as long as certain protections are included in the law. I believe there certain places in which one should not be able to carry a weapon. Those places include bars and restaurants, churches, schools, university buildings, and clinics. I believe that there are some establishments that should be given the option of allowing concealed carry. Some of those establishments include abuse shelters, hospitals, and businesses.

I also believe that some people should be excluded from carrying those weapons. Those people include felons, those with mental or emotional problems, as diagnosed by a professional, minors, and those convicted of crimes other than felonies but who present a danger of violence.

Furthermore, anyone who seeks to carry a concealed weapon must pass a written test and a proficiency test with a weapon. Under those conditions I believe that carrying a concealed weapon is acceptable.

On the issue of gay marriage I oppose AJR 66, which is the constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage. I take that stand because I believe that the constitution is not the place to establish social policy. The constitution establishes the framework of government and it protects citizens against undue intrusion by the government into their lives.

Additionally, if we start to single out specific disfavored groups in the constitution where will it stop? Almost everyone is part of a group that is disfavored by others.

I support stem cell research.

On the issue of affirmative action I believe that favored status should not be conferred on an individual because he or she is a part of any specific group or minority. I also believe it is wrong and illegal to discriminate against an individual because he or she is a member of a specific group or minority. The criterion that is most important judging an individual is the merit of that specific individual.

Question No. 8: Dan Carpenter Response

There are several social issues listed in the question that deserve comment. As a teacher, education is an extremely important issue to me. I feel state legislators need to keep their noses out of education and restore the 2/3 funding that they promised. We have a State Superintendent of Schools who has little authority while politicians consider themselves experts. Standardized testing and accountability are strangling education while actual learning is often taking a back seat. That said, citizens must become more active in local government. While we hear people gripe about high school taxes, only one person addressed the Oshkosh Area School District at the last budget hearing. Many people became upset over the issue of the Indian logo at Oshkosh West High School and attended board meetings but none seemed to care about an 8.5% budget increase. Every local election we find few candidates to choose from. Citizens need to run for local offices and create choices so that those who like to spend wastefully don’t fill these positions.

Second, the concealed/carry legislation is sure to return soon. I grew up with guns and am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. However, I do not support this idea because it flies in the face of safety – it just doesn’t make sense. In this day and age of cell phones when police can be summoned almost instantly, becoming a gun-toting society isn’t a wise idea. The amendments added by Mr. Underheim only make it worse. We still have the right to protect ourselves in the face of life threatening situations, but I don’t want to be sitting in a restaurant wondering if the guy in the next booth has a 44 magnum strapped to his side.

Third, the relationship issue is sure to receive additional attention this year. I don’t understand why the media has made this the “gay marriage” issue. By doing so, they discriminate against other relationships that should be treated equally. Much work needs to be done to assure that partners are granted rights such as hospital visitation, inheritance, etc. However, there is no way we can grant benefits to every couple or group in a relationship. At a time when our economy is staggering, joblessness in some areas is climbing, health care costs are skyrocketing and there is an increasing number of uninsured, how can we open the gates and give benefits to everyone? Should we – yes. Can we – no. What good are benefits to everyone when all the jobs go to Mexico or China where the production costs would be much lower?

Fourth, stem cell research and abortion are issues that are similar. I am conservative about abortion and don’t favor it on demand. However, when the mother’s life is in jeopardy or in cases of rape or incest, I believe that is a decision that should be made between the physician and the patient. Stem cell research is an issue that I am strongly in favor of. Having lost a sister to a rare form of cancer and my father to Alzheimer’s, I feel the pain and suffering of people with these diseases must be weighed against the use of embryos for research. I am comfortable with the way it is being done at the University of Wisconsin and would favor increasing funding to further the science.

Finally, the Governor’s authority to negotiate gaming contracts should not be an issue. Our lawmakers clearly gave the Governor the authority to negotiate these contracts. Now we have a democrat in office and some are crying foul. Unfortunately, they politicized the state Supreme Court and received a 4/3 decision. To me, this is not a resounding decision and complicated the issue a great deal. We can’t be giving the Governor the authority to act and, when he does, decide we don’t like the decision and go to court.

Question No. 8: Social Issues

Most of the questions that have been posed in this debate so far have dealt with what might be called public policy issues.

But Wisconsin voters are also concerned with social issues, such as abortion, affirmative action, gay marriage, gun laws, stem cell research and so on.

What do you think are the most important social issues facing the state and what would you propose to do about them?

Question No. 7: Gregg Underheim Response

Gregg Underheim did not respond to this question by the deadline. His position, described in an e-mail received Oct. 13, appears as a comment below.

Question No. 7: Dan Carpenter Response

The answer to this question is contained within the question. Everybody wants clean government. Who wants corrupt government? Wisconsin has gone from being a leader in the nation to being one of the most corrupt. Unfortunately, I don’t see any easy solution. While I support the Ellis-Erpenbach Bill, I don’t think it goes nearly far enough. And, every voter in Wisconsin thinks that it is some other legislator causing the problem because their representative is a "nice guy". We need to take the following steps to clean up Wisconsin State government:

First, we need to pass the Ellis-Erpenbach Bill with an amendment that severely limits the amount of money that can be raised and spent on campaigns. It is not just a matter of how or how much is reported, but the overall cost of campaigns. There is absolutely no reason for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars being raised and spent. Money leads to corruption. Today, with public access television, public forums, newspaper coverage and blogs like this, there is no reason to raise and spend the way some politicians are. No money is given without the expectation of something in return.

Second, some media sources need to be more vigilant about the way they cover the races. Their bias is often evident in the way they write or produce articles or use photos.

Third, voters must wake up and understand who the politicians are who lead us down this path and stop re-electing them. Those that repeatedly author or support legislation that increases State government, putting money in the pockets of the wealthy and taking from the taxpayer, should not keep returning to Madison!

Finally, representatives should not be allowed to author or cosponsor any legislation that benefits any organization from which they received donations. For those legislators who say there is no connection, one only needs to follow the money from those who donated to their campaigns to the legislation that they propose. Then, judge for yourself whether those people are telling the truth. IF YOU SEE A CONNECTION, DON’T VOTE FOR THEM!

Question No. 7: Good Government

In August, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (registration required) editorialized about the state’s tradition of "good government" in these words:

"In the past, Wisconsin's citizens have taken justifiable pride in the state's reputation for clean government. Scandals have sullied that reputation in recent years. One way to regain that reputation - and to deserve it - is to enact the Ellis-Erpenbach bill, quickly."

But that bill, known more formally as Senate Bill 12, did not get out of committee. What are your positions on campaign finance reform, and would you support the legislation (PDF) proposed by Sen. Michael Ellis (R-Neenah) and Rep. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton)?

What other steps, if any, do you think the state should take to reform the way that executive and legislative decisions are made?

Question No. 6: Gregg Underheim Response

I support a Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.

Passing a Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights would create a direct link between the growth of the private sector and the growth of government. The version of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights that I support would restrict government growth to a percentage of the growth of personal income. I do not support a Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights that restricts government growth to the rate of inflation.

First, by restricting government growth to a percentage of personal income you guarantee that the public sector does not grow larger that the private sector. Second, when the economy is good government can grow more rapidly and those who work for it can receive larger pay increases—just like people in the private sector. When the economy is weak government will grow less rapidly, or even shrink. Those who work for government may see pay decreases or lay offs—just like those in the private sector.

The opponents of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights will argue that legislators just need to have the discipline to vote no. That is certainly what others who seek the 54th Assembly seat have said. However, those are the same people who have promised the teacher’s union (WEAC) that they will eliminate the revenue controls and the QEO. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot argue in favor of controlling spending and then promise WEAC you will spend whatever they want. Mr. Hintz falls into that category.

Last, it is appropriate to include the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights in the constitution. Constitutions deal in part with the size, scope, and taxing abilities of government. The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights would be a restriction on the growth of government. That is entirely consistent with what constitutions do.

Question No. 6: Dan Carpenter Response

TAXPAYER BILL OF RIGHTS. Doesn’t that just sound great? Taxpayers like you and me will actually have rights. Open the gates, here comes the Trojan horse! This is just another way for our politicians to shift the burden of providing services to local government while they continue to collect and spend our tax dollars on their special interest groups.

Meanwhile, local government will shift from taxes to fees. If our cities cannot afford garbage collection it will be left to private businesses that will bill us each month. Any parent will tell you how expensive it is to pay the fees for school-related activities. When a district can no longer afford to bus children to school parents will either pay a fee or bring each child to school. When the cost of heating and maintenance climb, school years will be shortened and activities eliminated.

You will pay taxes for things like parks and then pay fees to use them. We are already seeing this with the children playing soccer at Winnebago County Park. Perhaps the State could provide credit cards for every citizen and we could swipe them every time we drive down a street, have a picnic in the park, launch a boat or catch a fish.

The State is currently considering raising the fees for driving a car, hunting and fishing. I oppose raising these fees while our politicians continue to spend uncontrollably. The citizens of Wisconsin must wake up and understand that TABOR IS A GIMMICK.

By opposing TABOR I clearly do not favor raising taxes. Citizens need to be vigilant over local and State government. The Oshkosh Area School District recently increased its budget by 8.5%. Only one person appeared at the meeting to protest the raise. This huge increase came at a time when the Board is in a contract costing 1.2 million dollars to oversee the custodial staff in our schools. This is the type of wasteful spending that occurs at all levels.

Running for State Assembly can be frustrating when people praise a constitutional amendment that will lead us down the disastrous road already traveled by Colorado. Yet, people won’t take the time to appear before city councils, school boards or county boards to voice their opinions. Colorado realizes that they made a mistake and is trying to take steps in the wake of this disaster to correct the problems. Whether they recover or not remains to be seen.

Instead of TABOR, we need to address the reason for high taxes. In a letter proposing the idea, the Hon. Frank Lassee stated that “Tax-spending special interest groups have tremendous influence in Madison—far more influence than is wielded by the tax-paying public. A TABOR would help defend the taxpayers’ interest by shoring up the state’s structural defenses against big spenders.” Why not stop the influence of these groups? Over the years special interest groups have poured billions of dollars into the pockets of politicians. Our incumbent representative accepted thousands of dollars from groups like chiropractors. Last year he introduced legislation that benefited that group and, had it passed, would have cost the taxpayers $155,000 a year to start. This is how your State government continues to grow. We need to severely limit campaign fundraising. And, voters need to stop electing candidates who raise and spend the most money. The citizens of Wisconsin share the responsibility for the financial situation we find ourselves in by repeatedly reelecting the same legislators who have raised taxes year after year to sponsor their “friends in need”. We could solve all the financial problems that Wisconsin has and have plenty of money to fund all programs by replacing every politician, breaking the bond between legislators and the financial bloodsuckers and seriously revising campaign finance laws.

Question No. 6: TABOR

What is your position on the proposed Taxpayer Bill of
Rights (TABOR)?

Question No. 5: Gregg Underheim Response

Gregg Underheim did not respond to this question by the deadline. A comment appears below.

Question No. 5: Dan Carpenter Response

The first issue with which I disagreed with Gregg Underheim and began thinking about running for the Assembly was the Crandon Mining Project. The thought of dumping 25 million tons of toxic cyanide waste on my deer stand angered me. I’m not much of a hunter, but the north woods are my little piece of heaven. I enjoy walking and just sitting and enjoying nature in that area. I have taken my son with me and explained how the water flows from the little ponds and steams to the northern lakes, the Wolf River and eventually to us here in Oshkosh. Although local tribes have purchased that area, there is a saying that: as long as the ore is in the ground someone is going to want to mine. I would never support cyanide mining at the head of our drinking water.

Although it may be threatened, it is important to understand that the lake is much cleaner than it was fifty years ago. We often spoke of the dog days of summer when the scum on the lake had a horrible smell. I am not sure that all the evidence is in regarding invasive species. Recently, while visiting a friend on Bay Shore Drive I noticed a neighbor loading a dumpster with zebra mussels. The amount was huge and I was surprised about just how much he had raked from the river in front of his house. However, not long ago we complained about the lake fly stench. Did we trade one for the other? I’m not sure. There must be more research done in this area. And, I’m not sure how much can be done that has not already been done. Regulations regarding boating are in place already and they don’t appear to have stopped the spread of zebra mussels or purple loosestrife.

I believe that the DNR is in need of overhaul. This is just one more example of the inefficiencies that I have spoken about during my campaign. We have continued to let state government grow from year to year but we accomplish less. Like other areas, I believe we have too much administration and not enough input from experts. Preferably, I would like to see upper management make the recommendations for this reorganization. If that is not possible, then we need to reassess our leadership.

One issue that I have disagreed with is the Jobs Creation Act. Sometimes red tape has a reason and if that reason were to keep our environment from becoming polluted then I would prefer to err on the side of caution. This Act creates no jobs, but allows companies to conceivably create still another problem similar to the PCB mess we have now.

I would support initiatives that further protect our waters from invasive species and strictly prohibit pollution from private and public sources. I think that the State of Wisconsin missed the boat, no pun intended, when they failed to purchase the Forest County mining site. The amount of money involved at the time was insignificant when compared to the future of our lakes, rivers and streams.

Question No. 5: Winnebago Water Quality

Wisconsin and out-of-state residents actively enjoy our lakes and rivers. Oshkosh is located on the Lake Winnebago Pool Lakes, which represent 17 percent of the state's surface waters. Scientists who study the issue say the water quality of these lakes is threatened by invasive species, point and non-point source pollution, plant and animal habitat loss, groundwater problems, and inadequate monitoring.

A report this summer by the River Alliance of Wisconsin said that the Department of Natural Resources is hampered in its work by political pressure and inadequate funding. This prompted calls by, for example, The Northwestern for restructuring of the agency.

What legislative initiatives would you undertake to address Lake Winnebago Pool Lakes water quality issues, and how would you propose that these be funded? Do you believe changes need to be made at DNR? If so, what changes would you propose?