MONROE - Democrat candidates for Wisconsin Senate District 17 offer voters a distinct choice in the Aug. 12 primary.
Pat Bomhack of Spring Green and Ernie Wittwer of Hillpoint expressed different approaches to solving Wisconsin's economic and job woes Wednesday.
Bomhack said if he wins the general election in November he will "fight to strengthen our rural economy," and he intends to watch out for southwest Wisconsin.
"As State Senator, I would fight for southwest Wisconsin, and work to insure state funds are directed to our rural economy and programs," he said.
He would ensure "southwest Wisconsin gets our bite of the apple," which would go to repair roads, reinvest in worker training and expand broadband, for example.
For small businesses owners, Bomhack said he would work to ensure they received the available capital and tax credits that they need to grow their businesses. He suggested a program modeled after one in Minnesota that provides local banks with credit backed by the state for loans targeting only small businesses.
"Small businesses are central to our local economies in our small communities," he added.
Wittwer said Wisconsin is ranking last or near the bottom of job creations among the states.
He backs a progressive tax code that would alleviate the tax burden on working middle class and shift it to the wealthiest and to any businesses earning tax credits for investments, which he said are usually large businesses.
"Small businesses, I doubt have much luck with those particular programs," he said.
Wittwer denounced "poaching from other states" as the state's approach to job creation and also noted the Minnesota model of the state guaranteeing banks additional lending capabilities for small business loans as a viable option for Wisconsin.
"We need to invest in small business and get capital to them," he said.
Wisconsin also needs to "do a better job of preparing young people for the job market," he added. The state has been divesting in technical schools and colleges, "and that has escalated in recent years," he said. He also believes the state could invest more in its graduated students by helping them refinance and lower rates on their student loans.
Wisconsin needs to "capture all the federal funding available to us" to expand the states rail systems and broadband, as well as other infrastructure, he added.
Having worked for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Wittwer said he trusts DOT Secretary Gottlieb's estimates on the department's program deficits amounting to about $650 million. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau is estimating about $350 million.
Those DOT programs "are saddled with debt" and pay about $1 in every $5 for debt payments, he said.
"Local departments of transportation are having a terrible time of making ends meet," he said. Aid to local municipalities has been decreasing for dozens of years, he added.
Increasing the fuel tax has been suggested as an option to shore up the state's transportation fund, but Wittwer said a tax increase of one cent per gallon would generate only $30 million extra a year. Fuel tax would need to increase by 11 cents to offset the deficits, he noted.
And Wisconsin is already in the upper third of states for gas tax, he said.
Increasing registration fees would also fall short of covering the gap. A $10 increase would generate the same amount as a one-cent increase on fuel tax, he added.
Toll booths may have a place in some areas, Wittwer said, but the Wisconsin highway system doesn't carry enough traffic, and going with tolls would require more capital investment as well as "back room expenses."
Most states diversify their transportation fund revenues, but Wisconsin has been dependent upon fuel taxes and registration fees, he added.
Transit authorities with taxing ability work well for large municipalities, but they don't work for rural areas, Wittwer said.
A mileage tax added to registration fees "has a whole lot of problems, I think," he said.
Bomhack supports strong, local public schools, but sees them hindered by faltering state aid.
"The state needs to reinvest in local, public schools so they have the funding they need," he said.
Better state aid would help school districts without school boards needing to raise taxes on local communities, he added.
"The real issue with (school) funding in rural districts is not that there isn't enough freedom to increase revenue, but that the state aid is not meeting the need," he said.
"We should reform the current state aid formula to benefit rural schools," he added.
Bomhack supports Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Tony Evers' plan, called Fair Funding for Our Future. Bomhack said that plan "provides solutions that will benefit and strengthen rural schools" and benefit rural communities.
In his run for the Senate, Bomhack is making a special commitment to getting big money out of politics, and refuses to take campaign donations from corporate PACs or registered lobbyists.
Likening his stance to a former mentor, Russ Feingold, Bomhack said he is "fighting to rid our democracy of corporate money."
He is endorsed by such organizations as WEAC, AFSCME and Wisconsin labor councils and will accept donations from "progressive organizations that have local members."
Bomhack said he is fighting for "a citizen-led democracy where the people have more power."
Wittwer said one thing he doesn't want people to forget in public politics is cultural tourism.
The southwest corner of the state is rich in the arts, including music and theater, he said.
"All those things generate interest in tourism," "spur the local economy" and create more jobs, Wittwer noted. He advocates for more local tours, workshops and classes centered on the arts.
Pat Bomhack of Spring Green and Ernie Wittwer of Hillpoint expressed different approaches to solving Wisconsin's economic and job woes Wednesday.
Bomhack said if he wins the general election in November he will "fight to strengthen our rural economy," and he intends to watch out for southwest Wisconsin.
"As State Senator, I would fight for southwest Wisconsin, and work to insure state funds are directed to our rural economy and programs," he said.
He would ensure "southwest Wisconsin gets our bite of the apple," which would go to repair roads, reinvest in worker training and expand broadband, for example.
For small businesses owners, Bomhack said he would work to ensure they received the available capital and tax credits that they need to grow their businesses. He suggested a program modeled after one in Minnesota that provides local banks with credit backed by the state for loans targeting only small businesses.
"Small businesses are central to our local economies in our small communities," he added.
Wittwer said Wisconsin is ranking last or near the bottom of job creations among the states.
He backs a progressive tax code that would alleviate the tax burden on working middle class and shift it to the wealthiest and to any businesses earning tax credits for investments, which he said are usually large businesses.
"Small businesses, I doubt have much luck with those particular programs," he said.
Wittwer denounced "poaching from other states" as the state's approach to job creation and also noted the Minnesota model of the state guaranteeing banks additional lending capabilities for small business loans as a viable option for Wisconsin.
"We need to invest in small business and get capital to them," he said.
Wisconsin also needs to "do a better job of preparing young people for the job market," he added. The state has been divesting in technical schools and colleges, "and that has escalated in recent years," he said. He also believes the state could invest more in its graduated students by helping them refinance and lower rates on their student loans.
Wisconsin needs to "capture all the federal funding available to us" to expand the states rail systems and broadband, as well as other infrastructure, he added.
Having worked for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Wittwer said he trusts DOT Secretary Gottlieb's estimates on the department's program deficits amounting to about $650 million. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau is estimating about $350 million.
Those DOT programs "are saddled with debt" and pay about $1 in every $5 for debt payments, he said.
"Local departments of transportation are having a terrible time of making ends meet," he said. Aid to local municipalities has been decreasing for dozens of years, he added.
Increasing the fuel tax has been suggested as an option to shore up the state's transportation fund, but Wittwer said a tax increase of one cent per gallon would generate only $30 million extra a year. Fuel tax would need to increase by 11 cents to offset the deficits, he noted.
And Wisconsin is already in the upper third of states for gas tax, he said.
Increasing registration fees would also fall short of covering the gap. A $10 increase would generate the same amount as a one-cent increase on fuel tax, he added.
Toll booths may have a place in some areas, Wittwer said, but the Wisconsin highway system doesn't carry enough traffic, and going with tolls would require more capital investment as well as "back room expenses."
Most states diversify their transportation fund revenues, but Wisconsin has been dependent upon fuel taxes and registration fees, he added.
Transit authorities with taxing ability work well for large municipalities, but they don't work for rural areas, Wittwer said.
A mileage tax added to registration fees "has a whole lot of problems, I think," he said.
Bomhack supports strong, local public schools, but sees them hindered by faltering state aid.
"The state needs to reinvest in local, public schools so they have the funding they need," he said.
Better state aid would help school districts without school boards needing to raise taxes on local communities, he added.
"The real issue with (school) funding in rural districts is not that there isn't enough freedom to increase revenue, but that the state aid is not meeting the need," he said.
"We should reform the current state aid formula to benefit rural schools," he added.
Bomhack supports Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Tony Evers' plan, called Fair Funding for Our Future. Bomhack said that plan "provides solutions that will benefit and strengthen rural schools" and benefit rural communities.
In his run for the Senate, Bomhack is making a special commitment to getting big money out of politics, and refuses to take campaign donations from corporate PACs or registered lobbyists.
Likening his stance to a former mentor, Russ Feingold, Bomhack said he is "fighting to rid our democracy of corporate money."
He is endorsed by such organizations as WEAC, AFSCME and Wisconsin labor councils and will accept donations from "progressive organizations that have local members."
Bomhack said he is fighting for "a citizen-led democracy where the people have more power."
Wittwer said one thing he doesn't want people to forget in public politics is cultural tourism.
The southwest corner of the state is rich in the arts, including music and theater, he said.
"All those things generate interest in tourism," "spur the local economy" and create more jobs, Wittwer noted. He advocates for more local tours, workshops and classes centered on the arts.