The League of Women Voters (LWV) of the Stevens Point Area recently distributed a questionnaire of four questions to Assembly District 72 candidates David Gorski, Democrat, and Scott Krug, Republican. The two candidates are competing for the Assembly District 72 seat up for election Tuesday, Nov. 8.

The questions and candidates’ answers, listed in alphabetical order by last name, are as follows:

What in your background prepares you to serve in the Wisconsin Assembly?

Gorski: I have always been a leader.  Throughout my life I have been the club president, team captain, committee chair and event organizer.  I’m a creative leader with follow through.

As a school counselor and drug and alcohol prevention specialist for the school district of Nekoosa, I wrote and administered over $585,000 in grants to help students graduate and stay off drugs.  I played the leading role in the establishment of the Nekoosa Academy, the Nekoosa School District’s Alternative Program.  I also started a summer school, high school credit recovery program.

So, as my work history shows, I am a visionary with follow through.  My father taught me to give my employer everything I’m paid for and then give more; that’s what I do.

Krug: There is no single skillset that prepares someone to serve in the state Assembly. Instead, I draw upon my life experiences in how I aim to serve our community.

First and foremost, I’m a son, a brother, a husband and a father. My family and their wellbeing is and will always be a top priority for me. Growing up in Wisconsin Rapids, my family’s roots run deep in the community, and I want to do everything I can to make our economy thrive and our schools stronger for our children.

As a parent, I want to make sure our schools and teachers have the tools they need to train and educate our children.

As a former law enforcement officer and drug court coordinator, I want to keep our communities safe and help treat those battling addiction in our communities.

And as a small businessman, I want to continue to reduce taxes and reign in government overreach; making sure we promote an environment where small businesses can grow and thrive.

State funding for public schools has decreased in recent years and taxes have gone to students to attend private schools with vouchers. What will you do to support public education going forward?

Gorski: According to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the voucher program will cost the state $258 million this school year. This unrequested, unneeded, unaccountable and fiscally irresponsible program needs to end.  We need to ask this question: who in Assembly District 72 asked for this program? The answer is nearly no one. Let’s put this money back into public schools.

Krug: Without a doubt, K-12 funding is the largest priority in the state of Wisconsin. In fact, we currently spend 32 cents of every dollar funding our K-12 schools. And for good reason. That money goes directly towards our children who will be our future taxpayers, job creators and citizens.

In central Wisconsin, our schools and our educators are some of the best in the state. However, in other areas, families are not as fortunate. That said, I fully believe that every child, regardless of where they live, should have access to an educational system that allows them to succeed and thrive.

As I’ve demonstrated in Madison, my top priority as your legislator is increasing support for our public schools.

While my opponent continues to mislead voters on my record, here are the facts:

In the 2013-14 state budget, I voted to increase funding for our K-12 schools by $300 million. I also voted to provide high-cost transportation aid and sparsity aid for our rural schools and funded a new educator effectiveness program.

More recently, when members of my own party proposed cutting public schools funding in the 2015-16 state budget, I stood up and publicly spoke out against their efforts. While I was able to work to help eliminate these proposed cuts, I ultimately bucked my own party and voted against the budget. I believed the budget fell short in increasing our commitment to our public schools.

Moving forward, I will continue to be a strong advocate for increasing support for our public schools.

Maintenance and new roads are needs in our district and state. What are your priorities and how will you address the problem?

Gorski: Our roads need to be in good condition to serve our residents, existing businesses and new businesses. Simple solution: let’s raise the gas tax by one penny and index the tax to inflation.

Krug: Our local economy is driven largely by manufacturing, agriculture and tourism. And as it happens, all three of these industries require a strong, reliable set of roads and infrastructure to be successful.

That’s why I’m committed to finding a long-term solution to maintaining our infrastructure moving forward. As a prudent business-owner, my first priority is to examine cost-saving measures before proposing any sort of revenue enhancement. We need to first ensure that what we’re doing is economical and not a waste of your tax dollars.

Currently, the state Department of Transportation is being audited by the independent, nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau. I applaud this effort and anxiously await the findings. Beyond any savings that may become apparent from this pending audit, I believe we need to explore and at least consider any and all options in an effort to find a sustainable solution to this issue. I worry that by continuing to increase our borrowing for our transportation needs, we’re only delaying the inevitable.

What role does the University System play in economic development in Wisconsin?

Gorski: University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) is directly or indirectly responsible for the creation of 50 percent of all new jobs in the state over the last decade. Our other UW campuses and tech colleges play a similar role in our economic development. We know investment in higher education pays off. 

Krug: As a graduate of the UW system, I know firsthand how valuable the universities are to our communities and the economy. That’s why I’m proud to have partnered with UW-Stevens Point on a number of initiatives, like differential tuition designed to provide more course options and help students graduate on time.

The UW plays an important role in training our future lawyers, doctors and teachers. As a legislator, I’ve been committed to working to keep college affordable for Wisconsin families and have voted to freeze tuition. The state’s support of the university system is larger than ever before and we need to continue working with campus leaders to train our students for the ever-changing needs of our workforce.