- Announcer: The following program
is part of our Wisconsin Vote election coverage.
[upbeat music]
- Hello.
I'm Kathy Bissen, Associate Director of PBS Wisconsin.
One of the most important things that we do
to bring you timely information.
That's especially critical during election years.
Again this year, we are offering this platform
for political candidates to speak directly
to the people of Wisconsin.
We've invited all candidates
who are on Wisconsin's November 8 ballot
for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general,
secretary of state,
and state treasurer to participate.
They've each been invited to make an unedited,
pre-taped statement on the topics of their choice.
The order of appearance in this presentation
was determined randomly.
If you'd like more information
about any of the candidates running for office in Wisconsin,
visit our election website: wisconsinvote.org.
Remember to vote on Tuesday, November 8,
and thank you for watching PBS Wisconsin.
[upbeat music]
- Hi, I'm Tim Michels, candidate for governor.
I'm running to help Wisconsin get back on the right track.
I'm running to improve our schools, empower parents,
boost everyone's standard of living,
and make all our neighborhoods and communities safer.
From COVID to Kenosha, Tony Evers, he's been a failure.
His instincts are terrible, and his policies are even worse.
Fact is that in our schools, performance is down,
literacy is down.
Even after politicians pour more money into the system,
there's no accountability.
Tony Evers has had 40 years in the education system
and it keeps getting worse.
Our schools, all schools will improve
under four years of my leadership.
We will empower parents,
bring order and discipline back to the classroom,
stop teaching radical social agendas,
and get back to the ABCs.
Inflation on the other hand, it's up, way up.
$4 gasoline, $5 diesel,
and the cost of everything is going through the roof.
It's impacting local budgets and family budgets.
We have to push back against the out of control
Washington spending that ignited this runaway inflation.
Crime, it's also outta control.
In Milwaukee, a car is stolen every 60 minutes of every day.
In the state, crime is at a 30-year high.
I will back the men and women of law enforcement.
I will never let another Wisconsin city
like Kenosha burn.
I will stop policies that let the bad guys out
with nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
Now, on another note,
you may have heard some people try to make some noise
about where I live because I went where duty called
and because I own some real estate.
It's garbage, political smears.
But I can take it.
I'm a tough guy.
Here's the facts.
Wisconsin is and always will be my home.
I've always lived here, paid taxes here,
and always voted here.
And it's true, my job forced me to travel out of state
from time to time,
first, when I served 12 years on active duty
in the United States Army,
to include my time as commander of the honor guard
at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
And then later for a brief period
when I ran Michels Corporation's largest project.
We were building a new subway in New York City.
Wisconsin is today, always has been,
and always will be my home.
Right now, that mindset of hard work and gratitude,
it's under attack.
We're told that America is no longer a place for good,
that achieving success in America
is something for which we should apologize.
The political insiders, including our current governor,
have smeared my company,
a great, Wisconsin family-owned company.
We knew that Tony Evers was a bad governor.
Now, we know more about what kind of person he is.
He smeared my company,
and for many small business owners out there,
he tried to close yours down.
Think about that.
Tony Evers believed that he had the authority
to determine who could work and who could not.
It'll never happen again.
I have news for Tony Evers.
All work is essential.
Every Wisconsinite is essential.
We all know that there is dignity in hard work.
In fact, blue collar workers are supporting my campaign
in record numbers.
They may have supported the Democratic Party in the past,
but they don't recognize it today.
People are sick of the politics as usual, as am I.
The insiders, they're not bankrolling my campaign.
I am not beholden to any PAC, any lobbyist,
any special interest.
I refuse their money.
I don't need it, I don't want it, and I won't take it.
That's an asset for the governor's office
because I won't owe the swamp a single thing.
I have the leadership experience, the agenda,
the resources, and most importantly,
the backbone to do what it takes
to get Wisconsin back on the right track.
This election is a referendum on the tired, old,
failed Evers administration.
It's time for a change.
I'm honored to be supported by people
all across the political spectrum,
including former governor Tommy Thompson,
the most non-divisive and successful governor
in Wisconsin's history.
It's time for a change.
It's time to get Wisconsin back on the right track.
I'm Tim Michels.
I'm running for governor to improve our schools,
empower parents,
boost everyone's standard of living,
and make all our neighborhoods and communities safer.
Thank you, God bless you, God bless America,
and God bless the great state of Wisconsin.
[upbeat music]
- Hi, I'm Governor Tony Evers,
and I am running for reelection as Wisconsin's governor.
I'm so honored to have served as Wisconsin's governor
over the past three years,
and I plan to win reelection this fall
and keep doing the right thing for our kids, our families,
and our economy.
I have a strong record of getting things done
for Wisconsin.
I cut income taxes for the middle class by 15%.
I plan to cut taxes by another 10%, lowering costs
and making sure Wisconsinites
have more money in their pockets.
In 2018, I ran on the promise of fixing the roads,
and I kept that promise.
So far, we've fixed nearly 5,000 miles of highway
and 1,500 bridges.
That's enough road to drive from here to Miami and back.
I expanded affordable internet access
to 387,000 homes and businesses,
and I'm going to expand access to another 300,000 homes
in the next four years.
There is still more work to do.
In my second term, I'm going to continue to repair our roads
and our infrastructure.
We've built back our main streets
by helping over 6,200 small businesses
open or expand into empty storefronts.
And I'm committed to doing even more
to support our small businesses and our family farms.
I've worked with both parties to fund our public schools,
technical colleges, and the University of Wisconsin system,
more than we have in decades because as a former educator,
I believe what's best for our kids is best for our state.
But we're not done yet.
I'm going to continue to create opportunities for all our kids
by investing in more special education,
financial literacy, mental health,
and smaller class sizes.
Today, Wisconsin is stronger and better than it was
when I first took office.
We have a record budget surplus,
the largest rainy day fund in state's history,
and unemployment is at the lowest point ever.
But we can do even more for the state, and I know we will.
You have my promise to always do the right thing for our state.
Thank you so much.
[upbeat music]
- Hi, I'm Roger Roth, and I'm running for lieutenant governor.
I'm a third-generation home builder,
an 18-year veteran of the Wisconsin Air National Guard.
I'm a retiring state senator
where I've represented the Fox Valley area in the state senate
for the last eight years.
And my wife and I raise our five amazing little boys
in the Fox Valley.
I'm running for lieutenant governor plain and simple
because Wisconsin cannot afford four more years of Tony Evers.
Whether it's crime, whether it's inflation and the economy,
or our failing schools, Wisconsin needs a new leader.
We need to move in a new direction.
In the state legislature, I've led on those very issues
which are important to Wisconsinites.
We are going to have generational tax reform.
We are going to put parents in charge of our schools
and our education and take it away from unelected bureaucrats
that have been failing us for generations.
And we once and for all
are going to support our law enforcement,
put criminals behind bars,
and let everyone know in Wisconsin
that we are open for business.
There is a better way.
There is a better direction.
And it all starts when we fire Tony Evers
and elect Tim Michels as our next governor
and me, Roger Roth, as our next lieutenant governor.
I look forward to working with you,
I look forward to earning your support.
On Wisconsin.
[upbeat music]
- Hello, my name is Sara Rodriguez,
and I'm running to be the next lieutenant governor
for the great state of Wisconsin.
For those who don't know me, I'm a mom, wife, nurse,
small business owner, and member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
I've dedicated my life to service.
For decades, I've worked in health care,
whether that's as a Peace Corps volunteer
working on HIV/AIDS and reproductive health,
all the way to being a health care executive,
where I manage multi-million dollar budgets and large teams.
But at my core, I am a public health nurse.
And that's the lens that I wanna bring
to the office of the lieutenant governor.
And that's one of investment in our kids
and communities and one of prevention.
As a clinician, I know that the medication we give you,
the procedures that we do, it's such a tiny fraction
of how healthy we are.
What really makes us healthy is where we live,
the air we breathe, the water we drink,
and whether we've got a good-paying job
to put food on the table
and to actually pay for those medications.
Before I ever thought about a career in politics,
I was an advocate for smart policy
that saves lives and improves livelihoods.
I worked to address chronic disease
for a state health care agency,
and I was 1 of only 70 health care professionals
chosen to be an epidemic intelligence service officer
with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
I led national and international outbreak investigations.
My first call to service was health care.
My second call to service was to run for office.
I currently represent District 13 within the Assembly.
That includes the western suburbs of Milwaukee,
and I live in Waukesha County.
Representing a purple swing district,
I know that there is so much more that unites us
than divides us.
Governor Evers and I are the only candidates
for governor and lieutenant governor who are pro-choice.
As a health care professional,
I know that the U.S. Supreme Court decision
puts real lives at risk.
But voters should be able to decide
what is best for our state.
As your lieutenant governor,
I will never stop fighting to protect every Wisconsinite
and to make sure they can make their own health care decisions
without the interference of politicians.
Governor Evers and I wanna do the right thing
for our communities and make sure
every Wisconsinite feels safe where they live, work, and play.
As a mom and community leader,
making sure all our kids are safe at school
and in our communities is one of my top priorities.
I voted against legislation
that would have shielded gun manufacturers
from civil liabilities over gun violence
and also voted against a bill
that would've permitted guns on school grounds.
I supported the governor's budget,
which included resources for local municipalities
to have the money they need for law enforcement,
first responders, and more.
I will also continue to fight
for common sense gun safety reform
and for mental health and addiction treatment.
As lieutenant governor,
I wanna ensure that families are able to pay for what they need
without worrying about rising costs.
I am proud to be running alongside Governor Evers,
who has fought to lower costs
by cutting taxes for working families,
small businesses, and family farms.
And banning price gouging on gas and baby formula
to protect our most vulnerable.
Governor Evers and I plan to continue to do the right thing
for working families with an additional 10% tax cut
and child and dependent tax care credits
and support for small businesses,
ensuring every Wisconsinite gets to keep more
of their hard-earned money.
Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know about me
and our campaign.
You can learn more about me at saraforwi.com
I hope I can earn your trust, your support, and your vote
on Tuesday, November 8.
[upbeat music]
- I'm Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney,
and I'm running to be our next attorney general and top cop.
I also serve as the president
of the Wisconsin District Attorneys Association.
During my near 10 years as the district attorney,
I've prosecuted everything from cold case homicide,
violent gun crime, drug deaths, conspiracies, racketeering,
sexual assault, domestic violence,
drunk driving, public integrity, election fraud,
as well as threats.
And I have used virtually every resource
our Department of Justice has to offer
fighting for justice on behalf of victims,
shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement.
And that is the experience we need
at our Department of Justice.
And with a tough on crime record
that I've developed as district attorney,
I'm proud to be law enforcement's choice.
They recognize we need an attorney general
that will fight to have original jurisdiction
for Milwaukee County because Milwaukee is on pace
for its third straight murder record.
We have a drug epidemic, where too many parents
have had to bury their child from a drug death.
And that Milwaukee violence and crime
spreads across Wisconsin, and if we protect Milwaukee,
we protect all of Wisconsin.
Because tragically, there are some families
that can't even feel safe in their own homes
or in a vehicle, and some parents
that won't let their child play in a park
because they're afraid of stray bullets.
And we need an attorney general
that will make public safety the number one priority,
especially keeping Milwaukee safe.
And that's why I announced my campaign
in Milwaukee on the north side last year,
to make sure that Milwaukee knows help is on the way.
That there will be an attorney general
that will fight for cash bail reform,
to make sure that judges have to consider
the dangerousness of criminals,
that we have a constitutional amendment
so judges will have to look at that,
not just whether a defendant is likely to appear in court.
To improve our cash bail system
that allows some defendants, violent criminals,
to be held without cash bail.
To make sure that we have an attorney general
that will never allow our DCI law enforcement positions
to go unfilled.
That will never allow those prosecutor positions
at our Department of Justice to go unfilled.
And will fix the issues at our crime labs to make sure
that law enforcement and prosecutors
have the evidence they need
to take dangerous criminals off the streets
and convict them to find justice on behalf of our victims.
And through my experience and leadership,
I've earned the endorsements of a bipartisan group
of over 100 sheriffs, district attorneys,
and police chiefs across Wisconsin
that recognize we need a prosecutor
and not a politician leading our Department of Justice.
They're joined by the unanimous endorsement
from the Wisconsin Fraternal Order of Police,
the Milwaukee Police Association,
the Milwaukee Police Supervisors Organization,
the Racine, Kenosha, and West Allis Police Associations,
the Racine Sheriffs Association,
as well as the Waukesha Chiefs of Police Association.
And I'm honored to have the unanimous endorsements
from every police chief and sheriff of Fond du Lac County,
those that have worked closely with me fighting for justice.
I couldn't be more proud to be law enforcement's choice,
as the son of a cop, to make sure we have an attorney general
that will prosecute crime, stand with our law enforcement,
and enforce the rule of law.
And the rule of law is what separates America
apart from so much of the rest of the world.
That you could walk into any courtroom in America
and have equal justice under the law for all.
That we don't pick and choose when we enforce the rule of law.
And my record as a district attorney
is enforcing the rule of law, not just when I agree with it.
That's what we expect from our district attorneys,
and that's what we expect from our attorney general.
And that is my record and that's what I will do
as your attorney general.
And if I don't like the law, I will work with our legislature
to change the law.
To fight to make sure that we have more of those DCI agent
and prosecutor positions at our Department of Justice
so we can help keep Wisconsin safe.
I would be honored to be our next attorney general
and to earn your vote to make sure
that we have a prosecutor and not a politician
leading our Department of Justice.
And I hope you'll stand with law enforcement's choice
on November 8 to elect an attorney general
that will make public safety the number one priority
here in Wisconsin.
Thank you.
[upbeat music]
- Hi, I'm Josh Kaul.
I'm a husband, a father, a former federal prosecutor,
and for almost four years now, I've had the privilege
of serving as your attorney general.
As Wisconsin Attorney General, my top priority has been
and always will be public safety.
At the Wisconsin Department of Justice,
we investigate and prosecute
some of the most serious offenses
in the state of Wisconsin.
And I'm really proud of the cases
that my administration has investigated and prosecuted
as we work to put dangerous offenders behind bars
and keep them there.
We've also worked to make progress on issues
that I talked about when I ran for attorney general
four years ago.
One big issue when I ran last time
was the backlog of untested sexual assault kits.
Well, after I took office,
there were about 300 kits that still needed to be tested.
We finished the testing of those kits.
We also ensured that in every case
where there was a potential perpetrator identified
from the testing of the prior backlog
that a review was conducted.
And that has led to some investigations and prosecutions.
I also worked to change the law to ensure
that sexual assault kits won't sit around untested.
And we launched a sexual assault kit tracking system statewide
so that survivors can see what's happening with their kit
as it moves through the testing process.
We've worked to make our schools safer as well.
Through our Office of School Safety,
we launched the Speak Up, Speak Out program,
which allows anybody associated with a school
to contact Speak Up, Speak Out
and have a trained analyst ensure
that an appropriate response happens,
which has allowed for us to intervene to ensure
that violence doesn't occur or kids don't harm themselves.
We've also worked to fight the opioid epidemic.
After I took office, we filed suit against Purdue Pharma,
and we also joined multi-state investigations
into opioid distributors.
Because of the work of the Wisconsin Department of Justice,
other AGs, as well as county and local governments,
we have secured over $400 million
that's gonna go to communities across the state of Wisconsin
to help with the fight against the opioid epidemic.
We've also been serious about holding polluters accountable.
I believe that every Wisconsinite
should have access to safe and clean drinking water,
and when companies break our environmental laws,
they need to be held responsible.
Not long ago, we filed suit
against PFAS manufacturers and sellers.
Those toxic, cancer-causing chemicals
have impacted a number of communities across the state,
and I think it's vital that when we clean those chemicals
out of our water, that it's the companies
that made millions of dollars that pay to clean it up,
not taxpayers in Wisconsin.
I also promised to end Wisconsin's involvement
in the lawsuit that was seeking to end the Affordable Care Act.
And we have gotten out of that suit,
and I'm happy that four years later,
the Affordable Care Act is still in place
and it continues to provide protections for people
with a preexisting condition.
I'm proud of the progress that we have made
over this last four years
during my time as attorney general,
but we have more work to do.
And the 2022 election offers voters a very clear choice.
Fundamentally, that choice boils down to this:
Do we continue building on the progress we've made,
and do we continue Wisconsin moving forward,
or do we go backwards?
On public safety for example,
I think we need to invest in our communities
and I have proposed a Safer Wisconsin plan
that we introduced almost a year ago.
It would invest in community policing and prosecution,
law enforcement officer recruitment,
retention, and wellness, victim services,
as well as mental health crisis response.
I also believe we need to ensure
that our gun safety laws prevent firearms
from getting in the hands of people
who we know to be dangerous.
I'd like to see universal background checks
and a process that allows for extreme risk protection orders
to be issued.
I also think we need to ban ghost guns
and that we should increase the felony classification
for repeat felon and possession offenses
and repeat straw purchasing offenses.
We also need an AG who's gonna stand up for our freedoms.
I have been leading the fight in court to block enforcement
of the draconian 19th century abortion ban
with no exceptions for rape or incest.
My opponent has been clear that he would end that lawsuit,
helping to keep in place that archaic ban.
He also has been clear that he would use DOJ resources,
which go to investigating and prosecuting
the most serious offenses in the state
to instead go after people for abortions.
I think it's critical that we keep using our resources
to make our communities safer.
And then when it comes to our freedom to vote,
I am proud to have stood up for the will of the voters,
including after the 2020 election
when there were efforts to overturn the results.
My opponent has embraced Michael Gableman
and his wasteful investigation, which he supported.
He recently appeared at a fundraiser with him,
and he even said that
our election commissioners committed crimes
and should be removed from office.
Well, I think we need an AG who is gonna stand up
for the will of the voters and our democracy.
There's a clear choice for voters in this election.
I ask for your support as you cast your ballot
between now and November 8.
Thank you.
[upbeat music]
- This year's election is going to be critical.
One of the most important in our history.
Because they're trying to take over
the secretary of state's office
so they can possibly control the elections.
I wanna keep politics out of the election process.
I wanna make sure it's something we can be proud of
and not something that can be manipulated,
like the Trump people tried to do in the last election.
But to win this election, to reelect our governor,
and to get a good U.S. senator, we need to get a big turnout.
This is critical.
I urge you all to get out and vote.
I need your support.
We need to protect Wisconsin.
[upbeat music]
- Hi, I'm Amy Loudenbeck,
Republican candidate for secretary of state.
I've spent the last 12 years serving in the state legislature
with a record of results and solving complex policy issues.
I spent eight years on the budget committee,
and I've had over 50 bills signed into law,
bills that were signed into law by Governor Evers
and Governor Walker.
Bipartisan efforts that dealt with complex policy issues
facing our state, and I have a lot to be proud of.
And it's time for someone else to have that opportunity.
In contrast, my opponent has been serving in this office
for 40 years, with nothing to show for it
except his name on the door of an empty office in the basement
that is frequently locked and not accessible to the public.
And that's unacceptable.
We need someone in Wisconsin who will earn the paycheck
and do the duties of secretary of state
and provide real value.
Someone who will restore purpose and respect
to this constitutional office
that is directly accountable to the voters.
Let's talk about my ideas.
Number one: Let's modernize the duties
provided by the secretary of state.
Provide transparency, provide electronic access to services,
and allow customers to track their requests
so they know when their authentications
are going to be ready
and they can plan for their international travel
or their court cases because right now,
we have issues where humanitarian aid
is stuck at sea and no one can find the secretary of state
to get their documents signed.
Again, we need someone who's going to do the job
and someone who's going to modernize the platform
for providing the services
so that they are more responsive to the public.
Number two: The secretary of state
serves on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands.
It's a small, three-person board
that oversees over $1.5 billion in assets
and 77,000 acres of public land.
I want to be a billion-dollar board member for the people.
I want to make sure those assets are protected for years to come
for the benefit of all Wisconsinites.
Finally, I'd like to work with the legislature
and the governor to look at what kind of ministerial duties
other secretaries of state provide across the country.
Things like election oversight and administration.
That could include maintaining the voter rolls,
or assisting with outreach and training.
These are duties that secretaries of state do
all across the country, and Wisconsin does not.
Let's take a look at what other states do
and how this office can add value and integrity
to election administration in Wisconsin.
Other duties, ministerial in nature again,
such as corporate registrations or filing of deeds.
These are tasks that the secretary of state could provide
if it made sense for the people of Wisconsin
to place them there, instead of in executive branch agencies
or in the hands of appointed people.
These are some of my ideas,
and I look forward to working with my colleauges
in the legislature on both sides of the aisle
and those newly elected, and our governor's administration.
On talking about how we can add real value to this office
that has been neglected for too long.
On day one, I want to open the door to the office.
I want to send a message that
I will have an open door and an open mind
so this office can provide real value
to the people of Wisconsin.
And I don't expect anyone to hand me
the keys to the kingdom on day one.
I do expect someone to hand me the keys
to that office in the basement so I can open the door.
[upbeat music]
- Hi, I'm John Leiber,
and I'm running to be your state treasurer.
Little bit about myself, I'm a practicing attorney
who lives in Cottage Grove with my family.
Before that, I grew up in Racine.
I also worked in the State Capitol for a number of years
for a senator and a representative.
I also served on several boards at the county and local level.
Now, one of the questions I get asked
when I talk to people around the state is
"What does the state treasurer actually do?"
That's a good question
because the duties of the treasurer
have changed a lot in the past couple decades.
Right now, the most important job of the state treasurer
is to be on what's called
the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands.
That's a board that manages a $1.4 billion trust fund,
that's billion with a B, and 77,000 acres of state land,
mostly managed forest land.
Now, the proceeds of those two investments generate income,
and that income is distributed around the state
as school aid to libraries,
mostly for technology improvements.
Last year, this totaled $40 million,
which is not a huge amount
compared to the size of school budgets around the state,
but it is a substantial amount,
and every dollar that's distributed in state aid
is one less dollar that has to be put
on your property tax bill.
So in a very real sense, the larger we can grow this fund,
the less your property taxes will be.
And that's really what I wanna make sure the treasurer does
in these next four years.
I wanna make sure we invest that trust fund properly
to maximize the income,
and I wanna make sure we manage that forest land
to increase the value of the land and the income we get
because again, the treasurer should be focused
on the duties of the office.
And that's really the different vision I have
for this office.
I wanna make sure we focus just on the treasurer's duties
and not on duties that have been moved away over the years.
And that means we need to look at
what the treasurer does now.
Now, the treasurer's staff is actually only one person
right now, the state treasurer.
That means the person who is the treasurer
needs to do all the aspects of the job.
So we need a treasurer who is responsible, reliable,
and ready to start the job on day one.
Now, with my experience as an attorney,
I understand the role of the treasurer
in the law as it currently exists.
And as my experience in the State Capitol
working for a senator and a representative,
I understand how to work with the legislature
and work with the governor's office to get things done.
And as my role, as my work being as a board member before,
I understand the proper way
to interact with other board members,
how to get things done, and to work as a team.
So when it comes to this Election Day on November 8,
I hope I can count on your support.
Thank you again, and my name is John Leiber.
[upbeat music]
- Hello, I'm Aaron Richardson,
running for state treasurer of Wisconsin.
I am very excited about this race and I hope to get your vote
because I believe I am the most qualified person for this role.
I am currently the mayor in Fitchburg, Wisconsin
and have been for over three and a half years.
That is incredibly important to have someone that
has been in a leadership role in government
and has done a lot of great things.
We're one of the fastest-growing communities in the state.
Not only do you want the treasurer
to have that experience in municipal government,
but I think it's also important
that they're used to working with big budgets,
and in Fitchburg, we've got a $25 million operating budget
and a $100 million capital budget.
It's incredibly important that you have someone
that is used to working with those big budgets
and big numbers, and I do have that experience as well.
Another thing that's important in this role
is someone that understands school system.
I think the most important thing the treasurer does
is provide money to school district libraries
throughout the state.
And that is something that I want to provide
as much money as possible and I'm gonna do everything I can
so we are providing as much money to those libraries
that we can.
It's so important to me
to make sure that we are supporting education.
Working in the school district, I see firsthand the great work
that our teachers and our librarians are doing,
and I see how they are just starving for funding
because they're not getting the support they need
from the state legislature.
So as much as we can support them, I wanna do that.
And having someone that's been in the school
and understands that is incredibly important.
I actually have the education for this as well.
I have a business degree from UW-Green Bay.
I'm a very proud Phoenix.
I also have an MBA from UW-Whitewater,
and I spent 16 years in the business world
in a variety of roles,
working at a lot of different companies,
including credit unions and insurance companies,
so I do know the language, and so I can speak the language
to the people that I'm working with in this role.
Now, I wanna talk a little bit
about what I wanna do in this role.
Sarah Godlewski's done a great job in this role.
I wanna keep doing all the great things she's done
'cause she has really shown the value of this role
and what you can do in this role.
It's incredibly important.
We had 62% of the people in this state
in a referendum five years ago say this role is important
and we want this role to stay here.
Some people wanted to disband it and get rid of it,
but Sarah Godlewski has shown how valuable this is,
and so I wanna keep doing the great work she's done
while I do a couple things also though,
and add a couple things to the things she's done.
One is financial literacy.
And I think it's so important
that this role is involved in financial literacy
and improving financial literacy throughout the state.
I've already worked with a credit union
who is going to provide materials to me
that they have used.
And they've won awards for their financial literacy.
They're gonna give that to me,
we're gonna put it on the treasurer's website.
And this is materials that adults can use,
that kids can use, teachers can use with adults.
And not only do they have this in English,
but they already have it in Spanish.
So we're already gonna come out with it in two languages.
I want it translated into Hmong as well.
That is another language I think is incredibly important
in this state, and so I wanna translate that
into Hmong as well.
And I really think it just makes a lotta sense
for the treasurer to be involved in financial literacy.
The other thing that's important to me
that I wanna do in this role is promote home ownership.
Home ownership is so incredibly important.
It's becoming more and more difficult
to own a home in this state.
And we're doing a program in Fitchburg
that will increase home ownership.
I wanna support programs like that throughout the state.
There's a lot of different ways you can do it.
You can find out more about what we're doing in Fitchburg
if you go on my website, aaronforwi.com.
But I just wanna talk about things that I have done.
It's important that you not only talk about
the things that you wanna do,
but when you can talk about the things you have done,
that is where I think there is the biggest differentiator
as well between myself and my opponent.
Two of the areas I like to highlight.
The first is the environment.
We had a goal of 25% of the energy in Fitchburg
be coming from renewable resources by 2025.
Well, we've been putting up solar panels on buildings,
and there's a solar farm that helps support in Fitchburg
and it got built, and we were able
to actually participate in that.
And so as of right now,
the city of Fitchburg gets 40% of their energy
from renewable resources, way ahead of our goal.
And the other one that I wanna highlight real quick
is diversity.
We're the most diverse community in Dane County,
and it's incredibly important that we're recognizing things
like Pride Month, Juneteenth, and Indigenous People's Day,
all things that we had never recognized
until I became mayor.
And right now, we fly the pride flag outside city hall
365 days a year, all because of things that I have done.
So thank you very much for your help and your support,
and you can find out more online.
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