Sheboygan County candidates for Wisconsin Assembly District 27 discuss inflation, election integrity, climate change and more
SHEBOYGAN - Republican candidate Amy Binsfeld will face Independent candidate Chet Gerlach for the 27th Assembly District seat in the Nov. 8 election.
The incumbent, Rep. Tyler Vorpagel, a Republican, announced he would not seek re-election after four two-year terms representing the district.
Gerlach served in the Legislature as a Democrat representing southern Milwaukee County from 1975 to 1985 and then ran a political consulting business until he retired and moved to Elkhart Lake in 2019. Gerlach "unretired" to run for the State Assembly this year, he says.
Binsfeld, born and raised in Sheboygan County, is a longtime manager at her family's business, Bitter Neumann. She is running on a motto of "Faith, Family and the Future."
While Binsfeld's campaign expenditures tripled Gerlach's — spending about $5,700 compared to Gerlach's $1,900 — both candidates received approximately the same amount of contributions from other individuals, according to their campaign finance reports, which show expenditures through August of this year.
The 27th Assembly District covers northeast Sheboygan County, including part of the City of Sheboygan, the town of Sheboygan, Plymouth, the town of Sheboygan Falls, Kohler, Howards Grove, Elkhart Lake, Mosel, Herman, Glenbeulah and Rhine, and southern Manitowoc County, including Kiel.
The Sheboygan Press 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.
The Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce also held and recorded a candidate forum available online here.
For information about registering to vote and polling locations, visit myvote.wi.gov.
Meet the candidates
Name: Amy Binsfeld
Age: 46
Address: Santana Drive, Sheboygan
Occupation: Retail sales purchaser and department manager at Bitter Neumann
Highest educational attainment: Degree in paralegal studies
Campaign website: Amy Binsfeld for Wisconsin Assembly on Facebook
Relevant experience: While I do not have direct political experience, I bring the experience of small business, customer service and fiscal responsibility to ensure I am accountable to my constituents. Additionally, my experience as a daughter, sister, wife, mother and friend will play a huge role in showing understanding, kindness, discipline and structure in this political role.
Name: Chet Gerlach
Age: 75
Address: Otto Lane, Elkhart Lake
Occupation: Retired in 2019 (unretired to run for the State Assembly in 2022)
Highest educational attainment: Bachelor's degree from St. Norbert College
Campaign website: Chet4assembly on Facebook
Relevant experience: Served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1975 to 1985 representing the communities of South Milwaukee, Cudahy and Oak Creek. From 1985 to 2018, I was in business for myself as a lobbyist and political consultant representing clients interests in front of Wisconsin legislators, five Wisconsin governors and a number of Wisconsin state agencies.
Why are you running for State Assembly?
Binsfeld: I have always wanted to serve the public. I enjoy listening to others and determining what changes can be made so common ground can be attained to move ideas forward for the betterment of our communities.
Gerlach: I’m running for the State Assembly because I’m tired of the mudslinging and inability of state policymakers to work together to address the important issues of the day. Too many partisans in Madison are more interested in making the other party look bad rather than working across the aisle to solve problems. In his farewell address to the nation, our first president, George Washington warned us against forming political parties … it’s time we started listening to George. Our state legislators should be non-partisans and operate more like our town, village, city, county and school boards.
Why are you the best candidate in this race?
Binsfeld: My fresh political perspective will contribute positively to the communities I can serve. Although past political experience can be valuable, it is important to not allow someone to lead and be complacent in a position when there may be no desire to move forward and make progress and positive impact. I have the desire, interest and will to work for the people.
Gerlach: I am a “common sense” Independent and I believe I can best represent the people of the 27th Assembly District because I don’t have to pledge allegiance to any political party or their financial backers. My allegiance is solely to the people of the district and I pledge to represent their collective (common) sense when I cast votes on their behalf.
What is the most pressing issue facing Wisconsin, and how would you address it?
Binsfeld: Often, politics likes to focus on one issue; however, we need to see things as a whole and that will help all areas progress forward. The loss of effective family units has changed the lives of our children as they develop. The curriculum stress in our schools continues to challenge our teachers and families. Young adults are falling into lifestyles of drug use and violence, which is causing crime and mental health concerns. An effective family unit is key to our success. When families come together and help each other, and the government acts more as a curb to their life, while allowing them to live freely, we will find more success.
Gerlach: There are a number of pressing issues facing the state including education, energy, and Internet access. With a projected $4 billion state budget surplus, our funding priorities should include our K-12 public schools and our technical colleges and universities; moving our state toward becoming energy independent; and providing reliable and efficient internet access to all our citizens.
Would you support policy initiatives to address the impact of climate change in Wisconsin? If so, what would be your priorities? If not, please explain.
Binsfeld: This is a topic on which I am not well versed and about which I am looking forward to learning more. It is important to remember that this, too, will reflect balance. We cannot take up policies that may be detrimental to our lives now to ensure the unknown future decades from now. While we must live wisely and within our means to take care of our land and climate, we have to ask the question, “And then what?” when we are planning a full-circle policy.
Gerlach: Climate change is real and it needs to be addressed in Wisconsin. Since Wisconsin is not an energy producing state, every energy dollar saved helps to support family budgets and helps to grow the Wisconsin economy. In my former life as a state legislator, I authored the first solar energy bill in Wisconsin. Today, Plymouth is the home to the largest solar energy provider in the state. We need to speed up the transition from oil to electricity to fuel our cars, heat our homes and run our factories.
What should Wisconsin do to protect the democratic process and ensure the integrity of its elections?
Binsfeld: All American citizens over the age of 18 and mentally stable should be allowed to vote. Identification is required to make major purchases and should be used to vote. Voter logs should be updated yearly to remove deceased voters. People who wish to vote absentee should have a period set in which to go to their municipality and vote in the presence of the clerk after providing their ID. Military and those with special living restrictions should be the only people allowed to vote offsite and mail in their ballots.
Gerlach: The right to vote and elect our lawmakers is the single most important right that we as Americans enjoy. After the 2020 presidential election, 63 lawsuits were filed claiming election fraud and all 63 were dismissed as having no merit. Over the past few months, I’ve made it a point to talk to town, village, city and county clerks who along with our neighbors work to ensure fair elections. We need to support their efforts.
Would you vote to uphold the current abortion ban in Wisconsin, vote to add exemptions to the law, or vote to repeal the law? Please explain your position.
Binsfeld: Abortion laws should be state governed, not a federal law. I believe this law needs to be readdressed, and we need to ensure women do not lose their right to work with their physicians regarding birth control options. The life of a baby should be a priority along with the health and life of the mother.
Gerlach: As a result of the recent Supreme Court abortion decision, Wisconsin women are forced to live under a law passed by our Legislature in 1849. That law requires pregnant women and women who are victims of rape and incest to travel to neighboring states to seek medical care and clinical abortions. Our next governor and Legislature ought to codify the provisions of a previous ruling of our Supreme Court in the case of Roe v. Wade.
More: How abortion and the overturning of Roe v. Wade is shaping Wisconsin's race for governor
How should state government help Wisconsin residents combat the effects of inflation?
Binsfeld: Inflation is based on the Fed feeding too much money into the economy. The more money in circulation, the less it is worth, thus causing inflation. This is difficult to combat on a state level, unless money is removed by the Fed, which normally comes in the form of higher taxes and fees. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this problem, and it will need to be very carefully watched and balanced, or we could face a decade of negative to no growth in the economy. This would be very difficult on people at every income level.
Gerlach: I may be a bit old-fashioned, but I remember advice my father gave me: “If the price of something gets too high, don’t buy it.” Rising gas prices can be combated if we all cut our consumption of gasoline by just 10%. The state should also promote alternative energy sources and lead the way in transitioning from oil to electric vehicles. I also recommend we make better use of our UW-Extension and help interested citizens turn their back yards into vegetable gardens. Finally, let me offer some simple advice: Beware of politicians who remind you of how bad inflation is without offering any solutions. The fact is, finding solutions takes some real thought and public discussion!
Are the schools in your district properly funded? Please explain your position.
Binsfeld: What do you base the quality of funding on? I think a better question would be, “Are the families and children receiving the quality education they deserve?” Often, families are feeling stuck and unsure how to teach their children in a broken system. Teachers don’t feel they get the support needed to truly teach and reprimand a student who is out of line because of fear that high ranks will punish that teacher. We need to take back our classrooms, and teachers should be entrusted to discipline with the support of those above them and be provided what is needed in the classroom to teach.
Gerlach: Public schools are the lifeblood of our communities. We place the development of our kids in the hands of educators, administrators, and school boards and we need to provide them with greater financial and public support. The current state budget surplus should help. However, I am aware that some citizens are concerned about the quality of education being provided. Using our democratic system of government, I would recommend that citizens exercise their First Amendment right to speak out, vote and even consider running for office and serving on local school boards.
What should state government do about gun violence and crime in Wisconsin?
Binsfeld: When looking at the actual number of legal gun owners and the amount of crime caused on their behalf, one would see that even if every legal gun owner turns in his or her guns, the criminals will still have guns. Gun violence is often the result of a mentally unstable person having a gun or someone living a life of crime, not your average Joe or Jane who has a gun for protection or recreation. We need to return to backing our police and teaching our kids to respect them and others, and we will see a decline in gun crimes.
Gerlach: I grew up in a community that had a tremendous recreation program for kids. The money spent to keep kids busy saved a lot of money that wasn’t needed to combat crime and build new jails. In addition, if we want to fight crime, we need to build better partnerships between the public and the police. Policing is a hard job and police officers need the help of us all to maintain safe neighborhoods. We need to do a better job of recruiting police officers and provide them with better training and better pay.
Reach Maya Hilty at 920-400-7485 or MHilty@sheboygan.gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @maya_hilty.
This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Sheboygan County candidates for Assembly District 27 discuss issues
