85th Assembly District candidate Kristin Conway gives stance on shared revenue, abortion, school funding
Kristin Conway, a Democrat, will challenge incumbent Pat Snyder for Wisconsin's 85th Assembly District seat in the Nov. 8 election. Snyder, a Republican, is seeking his fourth term in office.
The 85th Assembly District covers a large portion of eastern Marathon County, including Wausau.
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The Wausau Daily Herald asked each of the candidates to address important issues in the district and why they believe they are the best candidate for the position. Snyder declined to provide answers to the Daily Herald.
Kristin Conway
Age: 45
Residence: Schofield
Occupation: Nonprofit social media manager
Campaign website: conwayforthe85th.com
Why are you running for office?
Conway: I’m running because I have a vision of government that is full of discussions and ideas and that is honest and accountable. Right now politicians are winning without even making known what they stand for. It’s vital for democracy that voters have a real choice.
What makes you the better candidate?
Conway: I am open and honest and willing to have meaningful discussions and ask the tough questions as well as answer them. My opponent has a record of voting with his party no matter what his constituents want. He dodges questions and hides behind his social media.
What is the most pressing issue facing Wisconsin, and how would you address it?
Conway: Increasing shared revenue, the tax dollars from the state used by cities to fund services is an issue that not many people are aware of. This revenue, which has decreased over decades, affects our roads, the police and fire departments, public transit and taxes.
Wisconsin is the only state where police, fire and EMTs depend solely on property taxes. Cities are taking on massive amounts of debt and that isn’t sustainable. It is time for the state to make some drastic changes in the way local governments are funded without raising taxes.
Would you vote to repeal Wisconsin’s ban on abortions, or to add exemptions to the law?
Conway: I would vote to repeal the current law. The government and the courts shouldn’t be legislating personal medical decisions. I trust women and medical doctors to be making these decisions.
People need the freedom and privacy to make the best medical decisions for themselves and their families. We can’t know the complexities of someone else’s situation, and every person deserves to be able to make a decision about when and whether to become a parent.
Are the public schools in your district properly funded?
Conway: No public school in Wisconsin is properly funded. Again, we have a system that relies too heavily on property taxes, and this is another area where funding has decreased over the last decade. Our current funding system isn’t working.
We need a formula that is fair, that takes into account unique struggles that our rural schools are facing, isn’t based on local property taxes or prior enrollment, indexing to inflation, guaranteeing a per-pupil amount of state aid for every student, increasing special education aid and ensuring that a poverty factor is taken into consideration.
How should state government help Wisconsin residents combat the effects of inflation?
Conway: Bills were authored this session to lower prescription drug costs and make child care and health care more affordable. They never made it out of committee. When called in to address these issues, the Assembly refused to even discuss it. The governor proposed a tax rebate, caregiver support, rebates for seniors and veterans; they said no.
We must work together to pass a budget that ensures a tax cut for all Wisconsinites, not just corporations and millionaires. We should also continue to invest in our small businesses; the Badger Bounceback program works and assisted thousands of small businesses and farms.
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This article originally appeared on Wausau Daily Herald: Kristin Conway states case in 85th Assembly District against Pat Snyder
