Questions for Dane County Executive candidates

Kathleen Falk
Incumbant

    1.  As County Executive, I have taken decisive steps to promote and safeguard the diversity that makes Dane County such a unique and wonderful place to live. I march, walk and speak out to promote diversity and against discrimination. Working with, Dane County Board Chair Scott McDonell and the Dane County Equal Opportunities Commission   (EOC), put together a task force to review the root causes and potential solutions to the problem of racial disparity in our criminal   justice system. Under my watch, the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) provides learning and networking opportunities through our Minority Business Development Series aimed at supporting the entrepreneurial spirit in minority and women-owned businesses.  I have called upon our representatives in Washington, D.C., to enact meaningful immigration reform that will create a legal basis for hard-working undocumented  immigrants seeking a better life for themselves and their families to  remain in the U.S. and eventually become citizens, if they so choose.

2. In these tough economic times, government needs to be a strong partner in providing services and a safety net that keeps our communities and economy strong. Under my leadership for the past 12 years, we have balanced our budgets, kept a lid on property taxes, made communities safer, and provided high quality services for seniors, people with disabilities and kids and families. We have invested in infrastructure such as roads and our airport.  We have developed a strong foundation that will continue to attract new business that will result in good-paying jobs and help us weather these tough times. I was honored to receive an award from the Latino Chamber of Commerce for my efforts to promote minority-owned businesses.

3. I am honored to have been endorsed by such a diverse array of elected leaders, citizens, community leaders like Ray Allen, Steven Braungin and Peter Munoz, advocates, teachers, environmental champions, firefighters, working men and women and neighborhood leaders from all across Dane County.
 
    4. Under my leadership over the last 12 years, we have built a human services system considered the best in Wisconsin, and that serves as a model nationwide for many services.  I allocate half of Dane County’s entire $460 million/a year budget to human services.  This shows how important human services are to me. The many important programs funded include programs for seniors that are unique in the state, a system of services for developmentally disabled adults and seniors, innovative programs for kids, and $3.5 million dollars in assistance for the homeless and for housing, none of which is mandated by the state or federal government.  We also provide over $20 million in mental health services.

5. It’s a simple fact that Dane County is growing by 60,000 people every ten years. We are adding more people every decade than any other county in Wisconsin.  My proposal for a regional transportation authority, or RTA, will result in good-quality roads, a better bus system and commuter rail that is necessary for a healthy economy with good-paying jobs.  But first I support a referendum that would need to pass before any of our tax dollars would be used to improve our transportation system. 
 
     6. In 2004, I and cross-section of over 30 community leaders from both private and public sectors, business and nonprofit, education and government came together to form the Collaboration Council that met for the next two years and ultimately developed the economic development enterprise known as Thrive.  I will continue to work actively with Thrive to grow the 8-county region's economy in ways that preserve and enhance our quality of life, and the target economic sectors — agriculture, biotechnology, and healthcare.
 
7. Citizens expect their elected officials to find ways to make this place we call home an even better place to live and that’s what inspires and energizes me every day. In Dane County, we’ve worked together to build a strong foundation. We balance budgets, keep a lid on property taxes, make communities safer, provide compassionate, high quality services for seniors, people with disabilities, kids and families and protect our natural resources for generations to come.
Now, the terrible national economy has hit home. But the strong foundation we have built will help us weather these tough times. And that strong foundation enables us to seize some opportunities, such as our new and exciting initiatives to make Dane County an even better place to live, work and raise a family.  Dane County is at the forefront of national efforts to turn waste into clean energy — while producing new jobs in the process.  
In these tough times — when people are worried about their jobs, their futures, their ability to provide for their kids — government needs to be a strong partner in providing the services and safety net that keeps our communities together and gives people hope that things will improve.  We need leadership in Dane County that recognizes the role of government in solving problems and we need forward looking leadership to get things done in the areas where we have the chance to do new and innovative things. That’s the leadership I pledge to continue to provide.

Nancy Mistele
Challenger

    1. As County Executive, I will constantly reach out to minority populations to ensure that everyone is included in my administration.  As a growing area, we need to be very attuned to growing or new challenges faced by particular populations, and it will be one of my top priorities as County Executive to be in constant communication with every ethnic group.

     2. I've spent my career as a small business owner, signing both sides of a paycheck and meeting payrolls.  So I know what it will take to lead the way back from our current challenges. 
     I will invigorate our workforce and job training programs, to help employees get the skills they need to succeed.  I will control tax rates, so we can attract new, high-paying jobs to the area.  And I will take the lead in promoting Dane County as a great place to live, work and open a business.
     On the other hand, my opponent wants to raise taxes, and she wants to do it in a way that hits hardest at those with the lowest incomes.  I believe this is the wrong direction.  Raising taxes during a recession will only ensure that the current challenges, and our high unemployment rates, will continue long into the future.

     3. I'm very proud to have the support of Sheriff Gary Hamblin.  Sheriff Hamblin understands what it takes to keep a community safe: full funding for emergency response services, proper equipment and training and an executive who is 100 percent focused on the job at hand.  There's no service the county provides that's more important than ensuring that when a citizen calls for help, somebody is there to respond.  You can be sure that will be my top priority as your County Executive.

     4. The need for social services has increased greatly in the last year. What plans do you have to provide a safety net to our most vulnerable citizens?
     I believe the county needs to be there for those in need.  Simply put: government's role is to help those who can't help themselves.  But unfortunately, while my opponent has found nearly $100 million to commit to land purchases over her term, staff levels at the county's Department of Health and Human Services have actually declined over her term. Those are the wrong priorities. 
     Rather than purchase up ever more land, I will spend valuable tax dollars on what I view as most important: keeping the county safe, and providing a strong safety net for those who need it.

     5. My opponent's commuter rail scheme will likely cost upwards of $1 billion, and it will be funded by a new tax hike that hits hardest at low-income workers.  For all this money, all we would get is a train that runs along a single track from Middleton to just shy of Sun Prairie.  This just simply isn't the right decision, especially in these difficult times. 
     Instead, we ought to be looking at expanding our bus routes, so folks can more easily take a bus from their home to work.  We also should expand our roads, because good roads mean good jobs. 
     While people are being laid off, and as unemployment climbs to near record rates, we should be talking about fixing the basics, like public safety and our roads and busses, not raising taxes fund a rail few will use, but all will pay for.
 
     6. With the emergence of Thrive, what plans do you have to interact with the regional economical development effort; and how do you see your office enhancing the current economic development efforts in the region?
     As County Executive, I will take a lead role in coordinating with our neighbors in a way that brings new, high-paying jobs to Dane County.  With all our resources, our great way of life, and our hardworking people, there's no reason Dane County can't be leading the way back from our current challenges.  As your County Executive, you can count on me to work every day with friends and neighbors to bring more good jobs right here.

     7. The job of Dane County Executive is a tremendous responsibility.  The County Executive runs one of the largest counties in the state, and her decisions impact the lives of nearly half a million people.  It's a job that requires 100 percent focus all the time.  Unfortunately, my opponent has been too busy running for higher office twice and pursuing at least two other state jobs to really dedicate herself to us.  She sees Dane County simply as a stepping stone to higher office.
      I am the only candidate in this race who can pledge to you I will not run for any other office if elected County Executive.  It's a pledge I take very seriously, because fixing our public safety crisis and leading the way back from our current economic challenges is no easy task.  But I believe that working together, we can do it.