State Rep. Kristina Shelton faces challenge from Micah Behnke in Green Bay's 90th Assembly District

Doug Schneider, Green Bay Press-Gazette
·8 min read
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Incumbent Kristina Shelton, a Democrat and former Green Bay School Board member, cites her legislative record in her two years as the 90th District Assembly representative. Challenger Micah Behnke, a Republican, touts his experience as a self-employed business owner.

Both are running to represent the 90th Assembly District for the next two-year term. The district includes much of the city of Green Bay, except for part of the far east side.

The election is Nov. 8. Early absentee voting is underway.

The Green Bay Press-Gazette asked each candidate to complete a questionnaire. 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.

Kristina Shelton

Micah Behnke

What is the most pressing issue facing Wisconsin? How would you address it?

Shelton: Wisconsinites are incredibly hard-working. And yet, too many households and families are struggling to make ends meet. Working people need immediate solutions to reduce household expenses. When reelected, I’ll continue to advance legislation to make Wisconsin more affordable and lift up working families. I’m proud to have authored legislation such as the Healthy School Meals for All Act, a bill that would save Green Bay families of four an average of $150 a month for school breakfast and lunch, and the BadgerCare Public Option Act, which would allow businesses with fewer than 50 employees to purchase BadgerCare for their employees.

Behnke: Inflation is probably the biggest issue I hear at doors that’s impacting everyone. Wisconsin has a massive surplus of taxpayer money and we need to get that money back to the people and stop overtaxing Wisconsin residents. We need to find solutions to other problems that aren’t just throwing money at the situation as a solution and begin with keeping that money in the pockets of hard-working Wisconsinites.

Would you vote to repeal Wisconsin’s ban on abortions, or to add exemptions to the law (such as for rape and incest victims)?

Shelton: I would support repealing the ban. Protecting reproductive rights and ensuring accessible health care services is critical to protecting all Wisconsinites. In the last biennium, Wisconsin Democrats introduced the Abortion Rights Preservation Act, a bill to repeal the 1849 law criminalizing abortion. Wisconsin Republicans blocked the bill from receiving a hearing and then didn't show up for a special session to create a pathway for Wisconsin voters to repeal the ban. Abortion must be safe, legal and available. Women, not politicians, should have the freedom to make their own personal decisions about their body and healthcare, including if and when to have children.

Behnke: My personal beliefs shouldn’t dictate the law for everyone. It’s a complex moral issue and most don’t land on the extremes of any issue, so we need to have conversations to represent the majority by doing our best to protect unborn children, protect the life of the mother and secure reasonable, safe and legal options for women. It comes down to more than one law − we need to address accessible birth control, paid maternity leave, affordable child care and accessible domestic adoption. It’s a complex issue. We need to stop simplifying it into a decisive yes or no.

Would you support policy initiatives to address the impact of climate change in Wisconsin? If so, what would you prioritize?

Shelton: Yes. Caring for our environment is a priority all Wisconsinites share − it's what connects us, our families and our communities. We need leaders who take charge to protect our water, air, and land. I co-authored the Forward on Climate package, which included 22 bills to fight climate change, create clean energy jobs, and address environmental justice. We are also facing crises with water quality and safety. Pollution from PFAS, known as forever chemicals, is creating major problems. I co-authored the CLEAR Act, one of the most comprehensive proposals in the nation, to address PFAS pollution.

Behnke: Clean water is absolutely the priority when it comes to the climate in our area. Green Bay is blessed with some of the most precious resources of fresh water in the world with the Fox River and the bay and you wouldn’t know it by the condition. I am whole-heartedly a conservationist and believe we need to be more responsible for the impact we leave on the world around us. I support legislation that addresses the issues plaguing our natural resources, especially our fresh water.

How should state government help Wisconsinites combat inflation?

Shelton: The Legislature has a duty to help working families through difficult times. Wisconsin has an unprecedented budget surplus of over $5 billion. I support Gov. (Tony) Evers’ proposed tax cut plan to put money back into the pockets of working families. Under the plan, a median family of four would receive an annual tax cut of more than $375. The plan also repeals the state’s minimum markup law for motor fuel, creates a caregiver tax credit, and caps cost-sharing of insulin at $35. Passing the Healthy School Meals Act would save families an average of $150 a month for school meals.

Behnke: Let’s start with no new taxes. Reviewing all of our taxes and eliminating or reducing them is a must. There are billions of taxpayer dollars sitting in government reserves instead of our pockets. Instead of looking for a way to spend it, we need to find a way to get it back to the people. We need to make sure we look at the economic impact of all legislation.

What should Wisconsin do to protect the democratic process and ensure the integrity of its elections?

Shelton: Protecting and enhancing voting rights and the democratic process has been a key priority for my office. I authored bills aimed at ensuring fair, transparent and well-staffed elections and streamlining the voter registration process for young people. To focus on active citizenship for elected officials, I introduced a bill to require state elected officials to volunteer as poll workers. By serving as poll workers, leaders will be educated on election law and will ensure polling locations are well-staffed and functioning to the highest standard. I will continue to promote legislation to protect and expand voting rights because everyone deserves fair, secure elections.

Behnke: Reviewing election laws and ensuring they are airtight without gray areas or room for interpretation to create transparent, consistent processes that regain the trust of all voters is where we need to start. We can learn from the past without dwelling on it, and move forward without turning a commonsense issue into a partisan pain point.

Are the public schools in your district properly funded?

Shelton: No. Wisconsin needs to update the funding formula to fully fund our public schools, and support our teachers, students and families. There are over 50 districts seeking a record $1.93 billion in borrowing and spending authority in referendum questions. Districts are turning to property owners for additional revenue for a variety of funding issues, including the fact that Republican lawmakers continue to freeze district spending by not adjusting revenue limits. With rising costs, increased student needs and aging infrastructures, districts deserve a formula that works. We must take steps to fully and sustainably fund our public schools − the success of our state depends on it.

Behnke: Almost 50% of the state budget is directed toward K-12 education across our 421 public school districts, but we’re constantly bombarded with school referendums for more money while our public school performance is declining. We need more accountability and transparency on how the money is spent to increase the effectiveness of our dollar, and the results it’s producing, before we can determine if the funding is sufficient. We cannot continue to throw money at a problem as a solution without accountability and benchmarks of its effectiveness.

What should state government do about gun violence and crime in Wisconsin?

Shelton: Every Wisconsinite deserves safe, resilient communities. We must commit to strengthening community trust and preventing crime by keeping guns out of the hands of people who’ve been shown to be dangerous, addressing substance-use disorders and mental-health crises, and holding dangerous offenders accountable. The gun-violence epidemic is a public health crisis that demands meaningful, immediate action. We can uphold the Second Amendment while passing commonsense gun safety measures. Universal background checks, extreme-risk protection orders and secure firearm storages are a few ways the Legislature can prevent gun violence in schools and communities.

Behnke: The Legislature has had a lot of commonsense bills addressing the issues leading to increased crime such as bills that address the police shortage and bills that would keep guns out of the hands of violent felons. We need these bills passed. I also have a plan built around reasonable increased funding for police that would focus on training, staffing, schedules and mental health, which would enhance their relationships within the communities they serve. These are a few of the things we can do to address the growing issues of crime in our state and our city.

More:Here's a Green Bay-area voters' guide to the Nov. 8 Wisconsin election

Contact Doug Schneider at (920) 431-8333, or DSchneid@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PGDougSchneider.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay election: Micah Behnke vs. Kristina Shelton for Assembly