MONROE - Four candidates, one topic: Education.
Candidates for the 80th and 51st Assembly Districts took part in a forum with voters from the Pecatonica school district Wednesday focused on education issues.
Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon (80th District) and his challenger John Waelti, D-Monroe; and Rep. Steve Hilgenberg, D-Dodgeville, and challenger Nathan Russell, R-Sauk City, talked about school funding and what they would specifically do to fund school districts such as Pecatonica, which has seen a 20 percent decline in enrollment over the past 10 years.
School districts have trouble meeting financial demand because of imposed revenue caps, the candidates were told.
The candidates' plans to solve funding problems were as diverse as their backgrounds.
Hilgenberg, a first-term Assemblyman, and Waelti, a former Monroe school board member and professor, said the state needs to close tax loopholes to raise money for education.
"We can close some of the loopholes and expand the sales tax," Hilgenberg said.
Hilgenberg said people who purchase luxury boxes at stadiums don't have to pay sales taxes but people who buy tickets in the stands do. He said people would accept a state-wide sales tax increase if they were assured the money would go to support education and if it would keep property taxes in line.
Hilgenberg said communities are divided when a school district goes to referendum to meet operating expenses.
"It pits the school district against property owners," he said.
Waelti agreed and said people can't afford to see their property taxes continue to increase. Higher property taxes prevent seniors from staying in their homes because they can't afford to the taxes, he said. An increase in sales taxes and closing loopholes will help fund schools. Waelti said he wants to use his experience as a school board member to find a way to fund schools.
Davis, a two-term Assemblyman and chairman of the Assembly education committee, and Russell, a former school teacher, had different ideas. Davis and Russell said expanding the sales tax would mean an increase in taxes for food, medicine, tractors and farm machinery, fuel for farmers and even caskets.
"Our economy is suffering. This is an agricultural community," Davis said. "You'd have to close all of these loopholes."
"The money just isn't there unless you tax food, drugs and gasoline," Russell added. "Agriculture isn't doing as well as some people think. Corn prices have dropped but the cost to produce it has increased."
Hilgenberg and Waelti said Davis and Russell were trying to scare voters into thinking that food will be taxed. They said there are some items, such as food and medicine would remain exempt from sales tax.
"We aren't talking about removing agricultural exemptions," Waelti said.
Davis said that was exactly what they were talking about and accused Waelti of changing his position in regard to sales tax exemptions.
"You can't say different things to different groups," Davis said in the sharpest exchange of the debate. "We have to be honest with the voters."
All four candidates agreed that school funding needs to be addressed by the state.
Davis said studies have been done over the years to try to find solutions to school funding problems but nothing has ever been accomplished.
"School funding is broken," Davis said. "As chairman of the education committee I've tried to find ways to meet the challenge (of funding)."
Davis said he supports the revenue caps but said there is a need to find a practical solution to the problem. That will mean walking through a political minefield, he added.
Waelti said adequate funding is necessary for school districts to operate.
"We have to base our goals on high standards, property tax relief and local control," he said.
Hilgenberg said he's ready to start "from scratch and come up with an idea that works."
"State funding doesn't take into account students with special needs or even gasoline costs," he said.
Hilgenberg suggested the state do a cost study to see what it really costs to educate a child and base funding on that amount.
Russell said he supports finding a new funding system but said school districts, especially smaller districts, must be protected.
"Most legislators don't work for local rural schools," he said. "There aren't as many rural school districts as there once was."
Russell said that as a teacher at a charter school in Minnesota, he and others had to become efficient in how they spent money and said school districts must do the same.
"Our goals should be not to harm our schools while at the same time making sure they stay open," he said.
The candidates agreed that school districts shouldn't be forced to consolidate and that schools play an important role in rural communities. They also agreed schools should work together to find ways to save money by sharing costs and some services.
About 30 people attended the debate, which was hosted by the Pecatonica Parent-Teacher Association.
PTA president Jill Gaskell said she was pleased with the turnout and the debate.
"We got a lot of good information and we had a good crowd," she said.
Candidates for the 80th and 51st Assembly Districts took part in a forum with voters from the Pecatonica school district Wednesday focused on education issues.
Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon (80th District) and his challenger John Waelti, D-Monroe; and Rep. Steve Hilgenberg, D-Dodgeville, and challenger Nathan Russell, R-Sauk City, talked about school funding and what they would specifically do to fund school districts such as Pecatonica, which has seen a 20 percent decline in enrollment over the past 10 years.
School districts have trouble meeting financial demand because of imposed revenue caps, the candidates were told.
The candidates' plans to solve funding problems were as diverse as their backgrounds.
Hilgenberg, a first-term Assemblyman, and Waelti, a former Monroe school board member and professor, said the state needs to close tax loopholes to raise money for education.
"We can close some of the loopholes and expand the sales tax," Hilgenberg said.
Hilgenberg said people who purchase luxury boxes at stadiums don't have to pay sales taxes but people who buy tickets in the stands do. He said people would accept a state-wide sales tax increase if they were assured the money would go to support education and if it would keep property taxes in line.
Hilgenberg said communities are divided when a school district goes to referendum to meet operating expenses.
"It pits the school district against property owners," he said.
Waelti agreed and said people can't afford to see their property taxes continue to increase. Higher property taxes prevent seniors from staying in their homes because they can't afford to the taxes, he said. An increase in sales taxes and closing loopholes will help fund schools. Waelti said he wants to use his experience as a school board member to find a way to fund schools.
Davis, a two-term Assemblyman and chairman of the Assembly education committee, and Russell, a former school teacher, had different ideas. Davis and Russell said expanding the sales tax would mean an increase in taxes for food, medicine, tractors and farm machinery, fuel for farmers and even caskets.
"Our economy is suffering. This is an agricultural community," Davis said. "You'd have to close all of these loopholes."
"The money just isn't there unless you tax food, drugs and gasoline," Russell added. "Agriculture isn't doing as well as some people think. Corn prices have dropped but the cost to produce it has increased."
Hilgenberg and Waelti said Davis and Russell were trying to scare voters into thinking that food will be taxed. They said there are some items, such as food and medicine would remain exempt from sales tax.
"We aren't talking about removing agricultural exemptions," Waelti said.
Davis said that was exactly what they were talking about and accused Waelti of changing his position in regard to sales tax exemptions.
"You can't say different things to different groups," Davis said in the sharpest exchange of the debate. "We have to be honest with the voters."
All four candidates agreed that school funding needs to be addressed by the state.
Davis said studies have been done over the years to try to find solutions to school funding problems but nothing has ever been accomplished.
"School funding is broken," Davis said. "As chairman of the education committee I've tried to find ways to meet the challenge (of funding)."
Davis said he supports the revenue caps but said there is a need to find a practical solution to the problem. That will mean walking through a political minefield, he added.
Waelti said adequate funding is necessary for school districts to operate.
"We have to base our goals on high standards, property tax relief and local control," he said.
Hilgenberg said he's ready to start "from scratch and come up with an idea that works."
"State funding doesn't take into account students with special needs or even gasoline costs," he said.
Hilgenberg suggested the state do a cost study to see what it really costs to educate a child and base funding on that amount.
Russell said he supports finding a new funding system but said school districts, especially smaller districts, must be protected.
"Most legislators don't work for local rural schools," he said. "There aren't as many rural school districts as there once was."
Russell said that as a teacher at a charter school in Minnesota, he and others had to become efficient in how they spent money and said school districts must do the same.
"Our goals should be not to harm our schools while at the same time making sure they stay open," he said.
The candidates agreed that school districts shouldn't be forced to consolidate and that schools play an important role in rural communities. They also agreed schools should work together to find ways to save money by sharing costs and some services.
About 30 people attended the debate, which was hosted by the Pecatonica Parent-Teacher Association.
PTA president Jill Gaskell said she was pleased with the turnout and the debate.
"We got a lot of good information and we had a good crowd," she said.