MONROE - Rep. Steve Hilgenberg, D-Dodgeville, knows his next term in the Assembly won't be like his first term.
He no longer will be a freshman in the Assembly when he takes office Jan. 5. He'll have some experience, and a little seniority.
But the biggest change will be that he's no longer in the minority, after Democrats seized control of the Assembly in the November election.
"It will make things more interesting and more busy for me," he said.
Hilgenberg said committee assignments haven't been set, but he hopes to chair, or at least be a member of, the small business committee or the military and veterans committee.
His experience as a small businessman would give him an inside look at some of the issues small businesses face, he said. His work on a veterans' health bill last year allowed him to meet several county veterans service officers around the state.
He'd also like to serve as a member of the education reform committee because of his seven years of service on the Dodgeville school board and the fact his district includes 15 school districts. The health care committee and the energy committee round out his choices of where he'd like to serve.
The new Assembly speaker, Michael Sheridan, D-Janesville, will establish the committees and appoint chairs before the Assembly meets Jan. 5.
Whether in the minority or the majority party, Hilgenberg said the Assembly has some difficult challenges in the future but also has some opportunities.
"The new speaker will allow committee chairs to have more say on who serves on their committees," he said. "I think that gives the chairman more input and creates a better atmosphere."
Hilgenberg wants both parties to be able to work together, he said. Republicans have some good ideas and they should be heard, he said.
"It was frustrating not to have bills brought forward because we were in the minority," he said of his first term. "We need to allow ideas to come through the system. We need to make sure everyone has a voice."
The state's anticipated $5.4 billion deficit will require leadership and work from both sides of the aisle, Hilgenberg said.
"It will be incredibly difficult (to achieve a balanced budget)," he said. "The governor is already taking steps. He's drawing up his version of the budget."
There will have to be places for compromise from both parties and cuts will have to made, he said.
"Our major job is to protect our infrastructure and our schools," he said. "We don't want to force cuts on education. Secondary education and colleges will help us get out of the recession we're in."
A tighter state budget, Hilgenberg said, is similar to the problems faced by school districts and local municipalities.
But tighter budgets doesn't mean higher taxes, he said. Rural schools face declining enrollments and challenges other school districts might not face. However, Hilgenberg said, rural schools need to be treated fairly.
"We have to look at how we fund schools," he said. "We have to make sure they have adequate and equitable funding so students have the opportunity for an equitable education."
Hilgenberg doesn't support eliminating the Qualified Economic Offer school districts propose to teachers without looking at revenue caps. He said to do so would create a large gap between revenue and expenses.
Municipalities face tough decisions when they look at their budgets, too, he said. He hopes the federal government will have a stimulus package to help local government.
"We need a stimulus package that puts the money in the hands of local government and will put people to work," he said.
One aspect of a stimulus package could be widening Wisconsin 11 to make it a four-lane highway from Janesville to Dubuque. Hilgenberg said he realized how difficult it can be to work with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, however.
"It takes a while to get an issue on their agenda and then it takes another 10 years to get them to start working on it," he said with a laugh.
The state needs to be ready with a plan for not only Wis. 11 but other roads that need repair. People must remember other districts also have highways they want to see repaired or improved, he said.
Hilgenberg said he looks forward to his second term and the challenges.
He thinks he's ready to get to work on tough issues such as the state budget.
"I began a business when interest rates were at 17 percent and I went through the '80s," he said.
He no longer will be a freshman in the Assembly when he takes office Jan. 5. He'll have some experience, and a little seniority.
But the biggest change will be that he's no longer in the minority, after Democrats seized control of the Assembly in the November election.
"It will make things more interesting and more busy for me," he said.
Hilgenberg said committee assignments haven't been set, but he hopes to chair, or at least be a member of, the small business committee or the military and veterans committee.
His experience as a small businessman would give him an inside look at some of the issues small businesses face, he said. His work on a veterans' health bill last year allowed him to meet several county veterans service officers around the state.
He'd also like to serve as a member of the education reform committee because of his seven years of service on the Dodgeville school board and the fact his district includes 15 school districts. The health care committee and the energy committee round out his choices of where he'd like to serve.
The new Assembly speaker, Michael Sheridan, D-Janesville, will establish the committees and appoint chairs before the Assembly meets Jan. 5.
Whether in the minority or the majority party, Hilgenberg said the Assembly has some difficult challenges in the future but also has some opportunities.
"The new speaker will allow committee chairs to have more say on who serves on their committees," he said. "I think that gives the chairman more input and creates a better atmosphere."
Hilgenberg wants both parties to be able to work together, he said. Republicans have some good ideas and they should be heard, he said.
"It was frustrating not to have bills brought forward because we were in the minority," he said of his first term. "We need to allow ideas to come through the system. We need to make sure everyone has a voice."
The state's anticipated $5.4 billion deficit will require leadership and work from both sides of the aisle, Hilgenberg said.
"It will be incredibly difficult (to achieve a balanced budget)," he said. "The governor is already taking steps. He's drawing up his version of the budget."
There will have to be places for compromise from both parties and cuts will have to made, he said.
"Our major job is to protect our infrastructure and our schools," he said. "We don't want to force cuts on education. Secondary education and colleges will help us get out of the recession we're in."
A tighter state budget, Hilgenberg said, is similar to the problems faced by school districts and local municipalities.
But tighter budgets doesn't mean higher taxes, he said. Rural schools face declining enrollments and challenges other school districts might not face. However, Hilgenberg said, rural schools need to be treated fairly.
"We have to look at how we fund schools," he said. "We have to make sure they have adequate and equitable funding so students have the opportunity for an equitable education."
Hilgenberg doesn't support eliminating the Qualified Economic Offer school districts propose to teachers without looking at revenue caps. He said to do so would create a large gap between revenue and expenses.
Municipalities face tough decisions when they look at their budgets, too, he said. He hopes the federal government will have a stimulus package to help local government.
"We need a stimulus package that puts the money in the hands of local government and will put people to work," he said.
One aspect of a stimulus package could be widening Wisconsin 11 to make it a four-lane highway from Janesville to Dubuque. Hilgenberg said he realized how difficult it can be to work with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, however.
"It takes a while to get an issue on their agenda and then it takes another 10 years to get them to start working on it," he said with a laugh.
The state needs to be ready with a plan for not only Wis. 11 but other roads that need repair. People must remember other districts also have highways they want to see repaired or improved, he said.
Hilgenberg said he looks forward to his second term and the challenges.
He thinks he's ready to get to work on tough issues such as the state budget.
"I began a business when interest rates were at 17 percent and I went through the '80s," he said.