From Tripp Stroud

Candidate for Wisconsin’s 17th State Senate District

To the Editor:

I don’t want our state to be more liberal. I don’t want it to be more conservative. I just want it to work for regular people like you and me.

Here’s what’s working in this state right now: You! Here’s what’s not working right now: Our infrastructure.

The American Society of Civil Engineers gives Wisconsin’s infrastructure an overall grade of C. We got a D+ for our roads. A C- on drinking water and a C- on waste water. We can and should do better.

We can’t ignore our infrastructure problems. We can’t continue hiding the red ink with high falutin accounting tricks. Many communities depend purely on luck of the draw when it comes to getting state funding to fix and improve our crumbling roads. That’s not a sign that our government is working the way it should.

Here’s what we need to do.

One: We’ve got to own these challenges and invest in our infrastructure. It’s not getting any cheaper to fix this stuff. The state has a stronger balance sheet and deeper pockets than we’re led to believe. Let’s use them to make improvements to the roads, bridges, and water supply we use every single day.  

Two: Our state spending priorities are out of whack. We shower hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks on the wealthy and big corporations every year. Close down the tax giveaways and reposition state spending on investments that benefit all taxpayers — not just the big guys.  

Three: Work together in the Capitol. Republicans, Democrats, liberals, conservatives, independents. It doesn’t matter who you voted for or the party you represent. We all drive on the same rickety bridges and drink hesitantly from the same water supply. If there’s a topic that should transcend politics, it’s infrastructure.  

I just want the state government to do its job and do it well at a reasonable price. When the roads are broke, fix them. When the water is polluted, clean it. Wisconsin is the greatest state in the greatest country in the history of the world. We shouldn’t settle for Cs.