5th Assembly District

Includes Kaukauna, Little Chute, Black Creek and Seymour, as well as rural portions of northeast Outagamie County

Jim Steinecke - Republican

Candidate Tom Nelson - Democrat did not respond

Question 1: Economic development professional have long identified regulatory burdens as one of the challenges to attracting and retaining businesses in Wisconsin. In just the past few years, several thousand paper and other manufacturing jobs have left northeast Wisconsin for other states and other countries. What can the legislature do to make Wisconsin a more attractive place to do business, create jobs, and generate tax revenue for local government?

Steinecke: Unfortunately, the state legislature has been asleep at the wheel as thousands of Wisconsin’s jobs leave the state as the business climate here continues to rank in the top ten of worst places to do business. In an ever increasingly national and global marketplace, we just cannot continue to treat businesses as if they are the enemy. The legislature must act quickly to reduce the burden of regulations, lower the corporate tax, streamline permitting processes, and increase incentives for companies that create good paying jobs here in the state. We must also encourage businesses to send their employees back to school for further training. If we fail to act, we will be failing our people.

Question 2: More than ever before, local government officials are facing the dilemma of cutting jobs and services while still remaining under revenue caps. In recent years, state legislators have proposed various local government spending and taxing measures intended to hold down property taxes, including both the so-called Taxpayers Bill of Rights and the Taxpayer Protection Amendment. As this crisis continues to become problematic, how should the legislature address local government taxing initiatives?

Steinecke: I have, and will continue to support levy limits. Until we are able to get our tax burden more in line with the rest of the country, government must learn to live within its means. The benefit of levy limits is it is forcing governmental units to prioritize spending like never before, while putting more power in the hands of the people. Is it perfect? No. But it is important that we curtail the growth of government and stop trying to be all things to all people.

Question 3: In recent years, statewide health care initiatives such as Healthy Wisconsin have expanded the debate about the role government should take toward insuring and taking care of the health of our residents. What role do you believe the legislature has in making health care more affordable and accessible to Wisconsin residents?

Steinecke: Healthy Wisconsin is a disaster in waiting for the state. Instead of people being in control of their health care, it puts government in charge. I’ve heard the nightmare stories of people on Medicare that can’t get the medication they need because the government hasn’t approved for their particular ailment. Government bureaucrats are overruling the wishes of doctors and their patients. That being said, we are obviously facing a crisis regarding the cost of health care. We can make incremental changes that will begin to affect the cost such as transparency in pricing and tax deductibility of health savings accounts. It is a huge problem with no easy answer, but a government takeover would be a terrible “solution”.

Question 4: Wisconsin and the nation as a whole are on the front end of an energy crisis prompted by high fuel prices and a number of aged and outdated energy generation and petroleum processing facilities operating near capacity. What can the legislature do to further promote energy efficiency and to encourage additional, cleaner energy production?

Steinecke: High energy costs are obviously hurting everyone. People are having a harder time making ends meet as the cost of fuel, heat, food and more continue to rise. Businesses are forced to raise their prices making it even more difficult to compete in the global marketplace People are forced to make tough decisions regarding their family budgets, which in turn takes money out of the economy which they would normally spend shopping, going out to eat, etc. The state legislature needs to make Wisconsin a leader in alternative energy while staying away from mandates. Incentives, not subsidies, should be used for alternative energy. The moratorium on nuclear energy in Wisconsin should be lifted immediately and we should do everything we can to encourage conservation and the use of alternatives. The state’s minimum mark up law should also be repealed.