NEW GLARUS — Longtime Town of New Glarus Resident and current New Glarus School Board President Bill Oemichen announced last week that he is running as a Democrat for Wisconsin State Assembly District 50. District 50 includes all of Green County and the Towns of Perry, Primrose, Montrose and Oregon, as well as the Village of Belleville and the Village of Oregon in Dane County.
Oemichen is a Professor of Practice — Law and Local Government Educator for U.W.-Madison Division of Extension. Oemichen is serving his third term on the New Glarus School Board and his fifth year as Board President; serves on the Board of Green County Leaders; chairs the Board of the $9.4 billion Wisconsin College Savings Program (Edvest); and serves on the board of AgCountry Farm Credit Services, a cooperative owned by 25,000 Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota farmers.
Oemichen previously served as Wisconsin’s chief consumer protection official at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection, as Preparedness and Emergency Medical Services Director at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, as chair of the Board of the Monroe Clinic, and as former board treasurer for Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin. Oemichen also served as President & CEO of Cooperative Network, the trade association for Wisconsin cooperatives and the second largest state business trade association.
Oemichen said, “I am running for the State Assembly in large part because the Wisconsin Legislature is failing to properly fund 4K-12 public schools while continuing to increase state financial support for private school vouchers. Our legislature has failed to provide state funding equal to inflation since 2009 while also failing to meet special education funding targets. This causes public school districts to constantly go to operating referendums just to tread water. The Legislature’s intentional shift to funding 4K-12 public schools through local property taxes is incredibly harmful to our state’s future and is not sustainable.”
Oemichen noted he has other priorities as well, “I will work hard to ensure we have a vibrant state agricultural economy, provide affordable housing and healthcare options, support our small businesses, and protect our state’s natural resources. I want to hear from residents of the 50th Assembly District and look forward to meeting you on your doorstep.”
Oemichen earned a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School and a B.A. in Economics from Carleton College. Oemichen and his wife Mary Anne have lived in the Town of New Glarus for over 25 years and their two children, Amy and Will, were educated in the New Glarus Public Schools.
Oemichen is on the web at: www.billforwisconsinassembly.com and can be reached at his campaign e-mail address: billforwisconsinassembly@gmail.com.
