54th Assembly candidates: Oshkosh Mayor Lori Palmeri, businessman Donnie Herman discuss inflation, public school funding
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OSHKOSH – Oshkosh Mayor Lori Palmeri and local businessman Donnie Herman are vying in the Nov. 8 election to represent Wisconsin's 54th Assembly Districtn.
The winner of the race would take over the seat — comprising almost all the city of Oshkosh — held by Democrat Gordon Hintz for 16 years. Hintz announced in March that he would not seek reelection.
Palmeri, who is running for the state Legislature as a Democrat, was elected twice to the Oshkosh city council in 2016 and 2018, won the race for mayor in 2019 and was reelected in 2021. Herman ran against Hintz as the Republican candidate in 2020 and owns several business in the Oshkosh area.
The Northwestern asked each candidate to fill out a questionnaire before the election explaining why they are running and their positions on issues. Some responses were lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
For information about registering to vote and polling locations, visit the MyVote Wisconsin website at myvote.wi.gov.
Lori Palmeri
Age: 55
Address: 212 W. Parkway Ave., Oshkosh
Occupation: Medical courier and mayor of Oshkosh
Highest education level: Master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Relevant experience: Working grandmother with grit, six years on the Oshkosh Common Council (including three as mayor), co-founder of the Middle Village Neighborhood Association.
Campaign website: https://www.palmeriforassembly.com/
Donnie Herman
Age: 64
Address: 1630 E Murdock Ave., Oshkosh
Occupation: Small business owner
Highest education level: Graduate Oshkosh North High School, Fox Valley Technical College
Relevant experience: Past and present owner of multiple small businesses in the Oshkosh area, board member of Oshkosh/Winnebago Tavern League, and board member for the Otter Street Fishing Club.
Campaign website or Facebook page link: DonnieHermanforStateAssembly.com
Why are you running for this office?
Palmeri: I’m running because my grandchildren’s generation deserves a government of citizen-legislators concerned with leaving them a healthy Wisconsin. I’m running because citizens of Oshkosh deserve to be represented by a fighter for fair wages and taxes, affordable housing, a clean environment, expanded health care access and strong public schools.
Herman: I was born and raised in Oshkosh and have lived here my entire life. I am not a career politician. I am a small businessman and political outsider, and I want to bring my real-world experience to the Assembly to deliver results for the hard-working people of Oshkosh.
Why are you the best candidate in this race?
Palmeri: I have a track record as a public servant of listening to my constituents and being incredibly responsive and helpful. I strive to take that record of working for working families to Madison to serve the Oshkosh community in another way.
Herman: I am not a career politician. I am a hard-working small business owner and am involved with several local community organizations. I believe that I can make a difference in the Assembly and will be able to get things done for Oshkosh, not just make empty promises like career politicians.
What is the most pressing issue facing Wisconsin, and how would you address it?
Palmeri: The most pressing issue is the ever-increasing cost of living. Working full time no longer guarantees entry into the middle class. At the doors (while campaigning) people say they want me to advocate for:
Bringing living wage jobs to Wisconsin.
Giving builders incentives to create affordable housing and providing assistance for qualified buyers.
Walking the “sustainability” talk by bringing high-wage “green” jobs here.
Reforming health care so that needing medical assistance doesn’t lead to economic distress.
Fully funding public schools to keep local property taxes under control. Also, well-educated people are most likely to succeed in the modern economy.
Herman: There are a number of issues facing Oshkosh and Wisconsin. Inflation is at historic highs, grocery bills are skyrocketing, and gas prices continue to climb. Career politicians have helped to cause many of these problems and have done little to solve them. If elected, I will bring my real-world experience as a successful small business owner to Madison and will work to lower the tax burden for seniors, families and small business owners. I will also make it a top priority to get reckless government spending under control, balance the state budget, and get our economy back on track.
Would you vote to repeal Wisconsin’s ban on abortions, or to add exemptions to the law (such as for rape and incest victims)?
Palmeri: Yes, I will vote to repeal Wisconsin’s ban on abortions. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade had the practical effect of turning women into second-class citizens. Wisconsin should be a national leader in guaranteeing safe, legal abortion services for women who, in private consultation with medical professionals and people close to them, choose to obtain those services. Forcing Wisconsin women to travel to Illinois, Minnesota and other places to obtain health care services — as is happening right now — is shameful.
Herman: This is an issue that many people feel strongly about and there will be a lot of discussion surrounding this topic in the next legislative session. I am pro-life and believe in exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. This position will guide me going forward as this issue is discussed.
Would you support policy initiatives to address the impact of climate change in Wisconsin?
Palmeri: First, I will insist that addressing the climate crisis be nonpartisan. There should not be a Democratic way and a Republican way of saving the Earth. It’s unthinkable that we would compromise our grandchildren’s future with partisan bickering.
Second, I will sponsor legislation that would provide our counties, cities, towns and villages with the resources necessary to develop climate mitigation and resilience strategies. I will embrace the governor’s goal of powering Wisconsin completely with renewable energy by 2050, and I will support measures to do that in a way that produces a green economy full of family-sustaining jobs.
Herman: I support policies that ensure we are taking care of our environment, preserving our natural resources and addressing clean water concerns while also making sure we aren’t hurting Wisconsin businesses and families. Folks across the state are struggling under inflation caused by career politicians. We cannot afford overly burdensome government regulations and taxes, which would only hurt Oshkosh families and small businesses more.
How should state government help Wisconsin residents combat the effects of inflation?
Palmeri: First, the state government needs to be in session while their constituents are suffering. The current Legislature has done little in 2022, even though we have a budget surplus that could (at least in part) be given back to the people to provide relief.
Inflation is a tax on middle-class and lower-income people. The state government needs to support policies that would build a “high road” economy in our state, so that workers know that their wages will keep up with inflation, and that they will have affordable access to basic needs like health and child care.
Herman: Seniors and families are struggling under historic levels of inflation, many Wisconsinites can’t afford to pay their grocery bills, and we are all getting hammered at the gas pump. Businesses continue to see rising prices and are facing a massive workforce shortage. Reckless spending by career politicians helped create these problems. I am running because I am a small business owner who knows how to balance a budget, cut excess spending and make payroll. In the Assembly, I will work to lower the tax burden for seniors and families, and cut reckless government spending.
What should Wisconsin do to protect the democratic process and ensure the integrity of its elections?
Palmeri: As the mayor of Oshkosh, I have seen the hard work and dedication that the office of our city clerk puts into elections. The million dollars the Legislature wasted on Judge (Michael) Gableman’s “investigation” of the 2020 election could have been used to provide local election officials with resources needed to recruit more volunteers, update election equipment and educate citizens about the voting process.
As a state representative I will work tirelessly to ensure that all citizens have their right to vote protected. Instead of creating more barriers to voting, we need to make it easier.
Herman: Wisconsin’s election laws must be followed at all levels of government. I’m focused on the 2022 general election and if elected to the Assembly will work to make sure all laws are followed.
Are the public schools in your district properly funded?
Palmeri: No, the public schools are not properly funded. Special education is federally mandated, yet the state government only reimburses 28% of the cost. That’s down from 70% several decades ago. Local property taxpayers — already stretched to cover basic local services — have had to repeatedly support schools via the referendum process because the state government will not show commitment to the state’s children.
Wisconsin is now 25th in the nation in per pupil spending on education, down from 11th in 2002. We need to reverse that trend to address staff shortages and other crises our schools face.
Herman: I support our local public schools and believe that we should fund them adequately. Over the last two years, our students and schools have been through a lot, and we need to do what we can to ensure every child receives the best education possible, regardless of where they live. I also support increased transparency in our classrooms, so we make sure parents know what their children are being taught.
What should state government do about gun violence and crime in Wisconsin?
Palmeri: The main problem with gun violence and crime in Wisconsin is that our government is reactive instead of proactive. Politicians wait until there is a surge in crime, or a school shooting, and then address the issue.
There is no doubt that part of the answer to gun violence and crime is to make sure local communities have the resources necessary to fund law enforcement. That is the reactive part. The proactive part will require that we allocate resources toward creative crime prevention strategies like identifying at-risk youth and funding programs to steer them in the right direction.
Herman: Crime is on the rise across Wisconsin and rates of violent crime, murder and aggravated assault are at their highest levels in 35 years. (Editor's note: The Wisconsin violent crime information in this response mirrors findings reported by the conservative website MacIver Institute. The Northwestern has not independently verified its accuracy.) Unfortunately, Wisconsin also has fewer law enforcement officers on our streets than at any point in over a decade. Career politicians who support soft-on-crime policies are also enabling lawbreakers who in turn wreak havoc in our communities. I back our law enforcement and I believe we need to work harder to keep violent offenders off our streets, hold repeat criminals accountable and keep guns out of the hands of felons.
Contact Bremen Keasey at 920-570-5614 or bkeasey@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Keasinho.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh 54th Assembly candidates Palmeri, Herman give views on issues
