During his first two terms in the state Assembly, Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, has proven to be a capable, effective and accessible lawmaker.
On at least three occasions in the past year, he's displayed the political courage and savvy that earns our endorsement in the 80th District race, and your vote on Nov. 4.
The first example came during the highly partisan budget process in the summer and fall of 2007. On Oct. 15, 2007, Davis was the lone Republican in the Assembly or Senate to vote in favor of Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle's special-session budget bill. He did so against the wishes of his party's leadership, because he thought it was long past time to pass a budget and because he felt the bill represented "a compromise that a majority of my constituents would support."
The second instance began late last year when Davis, chairman of the Assembly Education Committee, led a bipartisan push to pass legislation that preserved virtual education in a dozen school districts like Monroe around the state. Online education opportunities were jeopardized by a court ruling and opposition from the state's teachers union. Davis reached out to Democrats and Republicans to draft a compromise bill that raised some standards for virtual schools and placed an enrollment cap that likely will take a few years to reach, but also allowed online education to continue to grow and thrive in Wisconsin.
Finally, Davis this summer announced an education funding reform proposal he will introduce if re-elected that could dramatically improve the situation if all involved parties - including the Republican Party - are willing to make concessions for the common good. The plan could raise revenue caps to bring them more in line with the state-mandated minimum increase in salaries and benefits to educators. It also could encourage school districts and employees to pool operations resources and to make concessions on health care packages that save taxpayers dollars. The plan also would reduce reliance on property taxes for funding by allowing voters in districts or regions to decide on specific reforms by approving them in referendums. It's a bold plan that will be a challenge to pass, but offers real, concrete solutions.
Davis' opponent, Monroe Democrat John Waelti, is a well-intentioned and intelligent candidate with an impressive academic background as a collegiate educator in economics and agriculture. He would be a thoughtful, open-minded and rational legislator if afforded the opportunity.
But Waelti lacks the decisiveness necessary for the job, and during the campaign has been unable to provide clear, concise positions - particularly on the specific key sales tax exemptions he would want eliminated to provide property tax relief in school funding. His call to have a honest discussion about taxation issues before making any decisions is laudable, but voters also deserve to know some of the specific key viewpoints Waelti would take into those kinds of discussions. On too many issues, Waelti has been unable to provide that insight.
There is a concern about the way Davis has conducted this campaign that must be noted. Davis' public disavowing of special-interest ads attacking Waelti was commendable. But the fact that his own campaign then distributed mail pieces and ran radio ads making the same attacks - in some cases word for word - was mystifying and disappointing. Some of the claims were thin at best, and politics as usual at worst. We expect better from Davis, who has rightly objected to the same kind of attacks against him in past elections.
That elements of this campaign have been a disappointment does not detract from our belief that Davis has quickly become one of the better lawmakers in the Wisconsin Assembly. Voters in the 80th District voters would be best served by returning Davis to Madison for at least another two years.
On at least three occasions in the past year, he's displayed the political courage and savvy that earns our endorsement in the 80th District race, and your vote on Nov. 4.
The first example came during the highly partisan budget process in the summer and fall of 2007. On Oct. 15, 2007, Davis was the lone Republican in the Assembly or Senate to vote in favor of Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle's special-session budget bill. He did so against the wishes of his party's leadership, because he thought it was long past time to pass a budget and because he felt the bill represented "a compromise that a majority of my constituents would support."
The second instance began late last year when Davis, chairman of the Assembly Education Committee, led a bipartisan push to pass legislation that preserved virtual education in a dozen school districts like Monroe around the state. Online education opportunities were jeopardized by a court ruling and opposition from the state's teachers union. Davis reached out to Democrats and Republicans to draft a compromise bill that raised some standards for virtual schools and placed an enrollment cap that likely will take a few years to reach, but also allowed online education to continue to grow and thrive in Wisconsin.
Finally, Davis this summer announced an education funding reform proposal he will introduce if re-elected that could dramatically improve the situation if all involved parties - including the Republican Party - are willing to make concessions for the common good. The plan could raise revenue caps to bring them more in line with the state-mandated minimum increase in salaries and benefits to educators. It also could encourage school districts and employees to pool operations resources and to make concessions on health care packages that save taxpayers dollars. The plan also would reduce reliance on property taxes for funding by allowing voters in districts or regions to decide on specific reforms by approving them in referendums. It's a bold plan that will be a challenge to pass, but offers real, concrete solutions.
Davis' opponent, Monroe Democrat John Waelti, is a well-intentioned and intelligent candidate with an impressive academic background as a collegiate educator in economics and agriculture. He would be a thoughtful, open-minded and rational legislator if afforded the opportunity.
But Waelti lacks the decisiveness necessary for the job, and during the campaign has been unable to provide clear, concise positions - particularly on the specific key sales tax exemptions he would want eliminated to provide property tax relief in school funding. His call to have a honest discussion about taxation issues before making any decisions is laudable, but voters also deserve to know some of the specific key viewpoints Waelti would take into those kinds of discussions. On too many issues, Waelti has been unable to provide that insight.
There is a concern about the way Davis has conducted this campaign that must be noted. Davis' public disavowing of special-interest ads attacking Waelti was commendable. But the fact that his own campaign then distributed mail pieces and ran radio ads making the same attacks - in some cases word for word - was mystifying and disappointing. Some of the claims were thin at best, and politics as usual at worst. We expect better from Davis, who has rightly objected to the same kind of attacks against him in past elections.
That elements of this campaign have been a disappointment does not detract from our belief that Davis has quickly become one of the better lawmakers in the Wisconsin Assembly. Voters in the 80th District voters would be best served by returning Davis to Madison for at least another two years.
