Local News
Fifty Second Assembly Candidates Debate On KFIZ
Both candidates for the 52nd State Assembly District agree that something has to be done to make State Highway 23 east of Fond du Lac safer. Fond du Lac attorney Paul Czisny says it should have been made a priority long before a lawsuit by the environmental group 1000 Friends of Wisconsin stalled the expansion project. He says Highway 23 is simply unsafe and we need adequate funding to do the project and it has not been a priority. Incumbent State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt says he agrees it should be a priority, but says Czisny’s campaign boasts of support by environmental groups like 1000 Friends of Wisconsin. He says environmental groups don’t want any expansions of roads to take place. The two also differ on the use of Photo ID at the polls. Czisny says Photo ID is meant to prevent young people, minorities and some older people from voting. Thiesfeldt says it is designed to prevent voter fraud and gives as example that according to some data 141 counties across the country have more registered voters than they do people.
Assembly Candidates On School Funding
Funding for education is another issue that divides the two candidates for the 52nd State Assembly seat. Fond du Lac attorney Paul Czisny says his opponent, incumbent State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt, recently, talked about the Republican legislators’ investment in education. He says Thiesfeldt boasted about fighting to invest $200 million in education. He says Thiesfeldt was one of the legislators who voted to cut $2 billion in education over the last six years. Thiesfeldt says the first budget he voted for did have cuts for education because of the economic shape Governor Jim Doyle had left the state in. He says since then the Republican-controlled legislature has increased funding to education. He says he has fought for increases in education in each of the budgets to make sure schools were adequately funded. The two also differ over the voucher funding program. Cziny is against it while Thiesfeldt voted for legislation that implemented it.
Minimum Wage And Right To Work
The Democratic candidate for the 52nd State Assembly seat says it is time to raise the minimum wage while his Republican opponent says it should remain the same. Incumbent State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt says it will hurt seniors and employers. He says it will affect seniors in the cost of products going up and employers who will have to pay more for entry level positions. But Fond du Lac attorney Paul Czisny says it has been eight years since the minimum wage increase. He says if you want to create more jobs you do so by giving those with low and middle incomes more to spend, not rich corporations. Czisny and Thiesfeldt also differ over Right to Work. Thiesfeldt says it was about people having the freedom to take a job without being pressured into joining a union. Czisny says it was about giving those at the top a way to keep more benefits for themselves.