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“The problem in Wisconsin is not that we tax too little, but that we spend too much,” said incumbent state Rep. Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem. “Taxes are still too high at every level of government.”
Democrat James Kinsman of the town of Onalaska said he’s “tired of paying the kind of taxes we pay in this state on individual homeowners, and looking to Madison and seeing that nothing’s getting done.”
Independent John Sarnowski of Onalaska said “the real answer for tax reform is in the polling place. If people feel their taxes are too high, they can elect people who are cognizant of local government.”
On the question of providing universal health care, Kinsman said, “It is almost immoral to think that we as a society cannot provide health care to every one of our citizens.” He criticized Huebsch for not holding hearings on three health care proposals now in the Legislature.
Sarnowski said health care affects every part of the economy, and criticized the Legislature for spending more time on gun laws, gay marriage and the death penalty. “It’s got to be universal coverage, given to those who need health care, not to those who can afford health care.”
Huebsch said Wisconsin has done more than most states in providing health care through programs like SeniorCare and Badgercare. He supports universal health care, but not paid for by the government. Instead, he’s for Health Savings Accounts and better “transparency” in pricing by health care providers.
On the issue of government ethics, Sarnowski said he supports creating an independent government accountability board to enforce elections, campaign finance and lobbying laws.
“One of the biggest problems we have now in government is politics, and it’s politics about money,” Sarnowski said. “The money goes, and that’s where the legislation goes.”
“It is reprehensible to think that we have lawmakers sitting in jail for stealing tax dollars to fund campaigns,” Kinsman said. “What makes me even more dumfounded is the fact that Mike Huebsch, the leader in the Assembly, sat there 10 days after his friend and mentor, Scott Jensen, was convicted and said we need to be proud of our ethical standards and traditions. That’s crazy.”
“It’s amazing to me to say we don’t have the laws in place for the legislators who are sitting in jail,” Huebsch said. “The fact is that legislators are in jail. That my friend and mentor, Scott Jensen, did get convicted of a crime because of laws I passed.”
About a dozen people attended the debate, held in the Onalaska High School library and sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the La Crosse Area. The 94th District includes most areas of La Crosse County outside the city of La Crosse and a small part of Monroe County.
Reid Magney can be reached at (608) 791-8211 or rmagney@lacrossetribune.com.
