Assembly candidates weigh in at forum

KIEL – In an effort to give voters a better understanding of, or possibly an introduction to the candidates in the Republican primary in the District 27 state Assembly race, Wisconsin Citizens Involvement hosted a candidate forum Thursday, Aug. 19, at Kiel High School.

The forum featured Republican challenger Randy Meyer of Sheboygan Falls and Republican incumbent Rep. Steve Kestell of Elkhart Lake voicing their thoughts and opinions on a variety of issues currently facing the state.

Independent candidate Jack Lechler of Kiel, who will go up against the winner of the Republican primary in the fall general election on Tuesday, Nov. 2, also took part in the forum.

Independent candidate Jack Lechler of Kiel, who will go up against the winner of the Republican primary in the fall general election on Tuesday, Nov. 2, also took part in the forum.

Meyer has served as the mayor of Sheboygan Falls for the past six plus years, while Kestell has served in the state Assembly since 1999.

The candidates were given three minutes to comment on 17 submitted questions from voters in District 27.

Some of the candidates’ responses to seven questions were included in last week’s Sheboygan Falls News. Answers to the remaining 11 questions included below.

Would you propose a value-added tax to raise revenue for the state?

Meyer

“No, I would not support a value-added tax. With a value-added tax, it is hard to see how much taxpayers are paying and where it is coming from. With a sales or property tax, you can see the method and how much you are being taxed. The value-added tax is too hidden and disconnected.”

Lechler

“I find no value in a value-added tax. I believe we should stop talking about taxes. It makes no sense to me to be so obsessed with taxes, because they are just a short-term fix to large-scale problems. Taxes never make any financial deficits go away.”

Kestell

“I am not interested in coming up with new and exciting ways to take money out of people’s pockets. I don’t know if people understand what value-added taxes are in the first place. Basically, it is a tax that is levied on the value added to a product, material or property at each stage of development and then passed on to consumers. These are hidden taxes that are a terrible way to generate money for the government.”

If you are in favor of repealing the federal health care plan, how would you work with insurance companies to provide more affordable coverage?

Lechler

“I don’t know how to answer that question. I need to gather more information to give a good answer. However, I do have an issue with how some of this legislation gets pass through into law. I do here a lot of complaints.”

Kestell

“I am interested in seeking a new strategy for health care coverage. I think the new health care law is unconstitutional. We should not force people to do get health insurance. I am disappointed that it does not address health care costs at all. I think it is important to make a distinction between health care costs and health insurance. I want to repeal it, but I know the governor and the majority of the state legislature is behind it.”

Meyer

“When I investigated the Obama health care bill, it made me sick. I think the nation needs to look to Wisconsin, which has a very friendly health insurance plan. Badger Care is one of the best health insurance plans for low-income families in the nation. The Obama plan is just not very well thought out. I think looking to what has been done in Wisconsin would be a wise move for the federal government.”

If you were to be elected, what methods would you use to communicate with local communities?

Kestell

“Technology has definitely made it easier to communicate. We used to send out quarterly newsletters, which were very expense and time consuming to produce. Now we can use our Web site to post information and provide e-mail updates every week to 10 days.”

Meyer

“Communication is critical in today’s world. E-mail is good for sending out frequent newsletters, Facebook is nice for campaign and personal information and Twitter can be used for instant updates. To me, personal face-to-face communication is very important. Over the past few months, I have personally met with all 25 mayors, town chairman and village presidents in the county. That personal contact is a big key. I am also a big supporter of holding regular listening sessions with the public.”

Lechler

“I have enjoyed writing a regular column in the newspaper. I think that is a good way to communicate your message with the public. I admire what Joe Leibham has done with his listening sessions. You can’t be afraid to look in people’s eyes and see the hurt they are experiencing. I think listening sessions are a very important way to exchange information.”

What are your proposals for lowering property taxes?

Meyer

“The unfunded mandates from Madison need to stop. I’m not asking the state government to help us, I’m just asking them to stop hurting us with unfounded mandates.”

Lechler

“I’ve talked to the superintendent of schools in Kiel about the mandates for school funding. There is no money coming in from the state to help out the schools. Local school districts and governments need to figure it out how to pay for it by themselves. There is no doubt that property taxes need to be lowered.”

Kestell

“If you look at my legislative voting record, you will see that I have voted against unfunded mandates. There won’t be more money coming in from the state anytime soon, so we need to find a way for schools to get along without getting a fair share from Madison.”

What would you do to encourage businesses to come to our state?

Lechler

“I think getting our current businesses to stop leaving is very important right now. When the ones we have leave, it is very hard to get new ones to take their place. I would look into wind and nuclear energy options and look for other ways to create a cost-effective environment for new and current businesses. I know our state has a good workforce. That is definitely not in question.”

Kestell

“I have argued against the corporate tax increase, which only works to drive businesses away. I think we need to look at infrastructure and make sure all the elements are in place to make our state attractive to businesses. It is hard these days to keep a businesses running in the black. We need to develop ways for businesses to trust government.”

Meyer

“We need to change the climate of taxes and simplify regulations to give incentives to businesses. I would propose to set up the initial tax structure for a new company as part of a loan, which would be in effect during the first three to five years the business is in operation. If the company hires a certain number of employees during that time frame, part of the loan will be forgiven. But if the company does not hire those employees, they will owe all of those taxes. That is an example of an incentive for new businesses. The work ethic among Wisconsin workers is one of the best in the nation. We need to help companies realize that.”

Do you favor a reform of binding arbitration?

Kestell

“The system of binding arbitration must be reformed. We need to have better mediation for public employees. Right now, the system benefits employee groups or employers, which is not an ideal situation for local governments or schools.”

Meyer

“The system is broken. It is rigged to not be in the favor of the general public. I look at our situation in Sheboygan Falls. We have one of the highest bond ratings you can have as a city. However, that hurts us in arbitration cases. I always try to look at the ability of the public to pay. It is clear to me that something must be done to change the system.”

Lechler “There are too many lawyers and not enough engineers.” Are you in favor of term limits?

Meyer

“Yes, I am in favor of term limits, because I believe our forefathers never intended public representatives to serve 30-40 years. I think it is very important to have new blood, new ideas and a new vision in government. I think the governor’s position should be capped at eight years or two terms, and legislatures should be held to 12 years, which would be three terms for senators and six terms for those serving in the assembly.

Lechler

“Term limits are a necessity. You can pick virtually any number you would like to be limited to, but forever is too long.”

Kestell

“I have gone back and forth on this. Once I start to think term limits are a good idea, I hesitate because that would take away the will of the voters. I’ve seen some legislators just hit their stride right before their term limit is up. I think voters make great decisions and I am worried about limiting the power of voters.”

Do you support immigration reform?

Lechler

“When something is described as being ‘illegal,’ you shouldn’t have to talk about it anymore. Something needs to be fixed. There has been too much waffling on this issue.”

Kestell

“While we are a country of immigrants, I certainly don’t like illegal activity. There needs to be reform at the federal level. I am working on introducing legislation to form an accountability board that would ensure only legal citizens are permitted to vote. I don’t want our state to be home to illegal immigrants.”

Meyer

“The bottom line is these people are not here legally. We need to do the hard part. It is not complicated, we just need to do it.”

Do you support the proposed high-speed passenger rail system?

Kestell

“I do not support high-speed rail. Some people think it is free money, but it’s not. It is coming out of our pockets. It would turn out to be a big money loser. The maintenance costs alone would be huge.”

Meyer

“I absolutely do not support it. We don’t have to take the money [$810 million] for a high-speed rail system. I would rather see us improve our freight-rail system. People forget that when the economy recovers, oil will rise again. This wouldn’t ever self-sustain itself.”

Would you accept federal monies with strings and expectations attached?

Meyer

“I definitely don’t like supporting anything with strings attached. You always need to be careful of what you are getting into. The federal government is broke. Although Wisconsin is worse off financially than California, we don’t have to take money if there are things attached that are undesirable.”

Lechler “Not if at all possible.”

Kestell

“I have found that it is not possible to accept federal funding without having strings attached. Right now the federal government provides funding for seven to eight-percent of the state’s school budget for 420 districts. The federal government has passed the No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top programs to aid education, but it is too far away from decision-making on the local level. States empower the federal government, not the other way around.”