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96th Assembly candidates square off in PdC debate

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Loren Oldenburg (R-Viroqua)

Paul Buhr (D-Viroqua)

By Correne Martin

The two candidates for the 96th Wisconsin Assembly district squared off in a one-hour debate Thursday evening, Oct. 11, at the Prairie du Chien City Hall council chambers. Both farmers from Vernon County, Republican Loren Oldenburg and Democrat Paul Buhr pledge to bring a loud voice as well as action back to this district, which encompasses Crawford and Vernon counties and half of Monroe County. 

Republican Lee Nerison has held the 96th Assembly seat since 2005 and is retiring after the coming election. Voters will cast their ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Thursday’s forum was facilitated by the Prairie du Chien Area Chamber of Commerce and broadcast on local cable. Around 30 people attended in person. Interim City Administrator Chad Abram moderated. 

Each candidate gave opening and closing statements and alternated answering questions submitted in advance to the chamber, but kept secret from the candidates until the debate. 

Loren Oldenburg

A fourth generation farmer, Loren Oldenburg farms the land that’s been in his family name for 140 years, between Viroqua and Chaseburg. He is married to Linda, a small business owner of a sip and paint company. He said he’s supportive of his wife’s career path because he desires to promote such entrepreneurship and other small businesses in our communities. 

Oldenburg shared his belief in making the district a “great place for future generations to strive and grow.” His past leadership experience as the Westby Creamery president, he feels, is an example of good, small collaboration, which he vows to utilize in getting multiple areas of communities and citizens involved in the district’s future—businesses, schools, organizations and constituents. 

As a farmer, Oldenburg is a proponent for family farms, agriculture and a rural lifestyle. According to his website (oldenburgforassembly.org), he believes, “The heritage, roots, and history, sweat, and love that make up a family farm cannot be matched. I have a deep understanding about the effort and importance of sustaining a family farming operation. We are not only farmers, we are entrepreneurs, the accountant, CEO, maintenance man, manager, business owner and much more.”

Paul Buhr

“I’m here because I’m very lucky,” Buhr told Thursday’s gathering of voters. “I feel dairy farming epitomizes the American dream.” He has done so near Viroqua for the last 40 years. 

He shared that, although he and his wife, Darlene, raised all three of their grown children in the district, they have moved out of district to find the opportunities they want. He said he would work, if elected, to create such gateways that he and his wife once had in our region. He feels it’s “our responsibility to give back what we were given.”

Buhr states on his website (paulbuhrforassembly.com) that he would advocate for a brighter future and for government to be fair and just for all. He said he wishes to champion areas of concern, from rebuilding roads, bridges and dams and supporting public schools, to providing affordable health care and defending small businesses. He supports local land and water conservation and intends to work to increase revenues from tourism and non-residents. 

Debate Q&A

What follows are each man’s summarized answers of the debate questions. 

1. Explain your environmental concerns around high-capacity wells?

PB: We need science on the side of our decisions. We need to make sure we aren’t inadvertently polluting our groundwater. They should be licensed when they are granted and continuously throughout their life. 

LO: They’re issued by the DNR. They are being regulated. Will they take the water out of the ground and hurt smaller wells? Yes. We need to monitor and regulate them locally when they’re issued and permitted.

2. How much time would you spend in Crawford County if elected?

LO: As much as needed. Our responsibility is to the region and the state, so I would be here as often as possible.

PB: This is a big district; it’s 180 miles long. Prairie is the largest city in the district. I would make sure we’re here as often as possible. But, with the use of technology, we could use Facebook Live possibly for town hall meetings. 

3. How would you help businesses attract a stronger workforce?

PB: The policies of the past have created a situation where we’re losing young people. It’s imperative we get broadband internet in every corner. Telecommuting is the future. With a focus on good roads, schools and broadband, they will move back to the area. 

LO: I agree good roads and broadband are key. We also should advertise what we have here better by promoting our opportunities at the state level. Also, getting more apprenticeship jobs in high school would help so they don’t have the burden of college debt on their hands early in their careers.

4. What do you feel is fair regarding minimum wage?

LO: I don’t have a figure in mind. But, back to my history with Westby Creamery, I believe good business will bring in good quality people. I think if we can attract those quality workers, the businesses will dictate a better wage to be paid.

PB: Minimum wage implies you’re paying people a wage they can survive on. Expecting the state to help with insurance, heating, etc., brings entities like the big box stores up to the largest recipient of welfare. We have to balance that out with our small businesses. 

5. What strategies would you recommend to bring more industry into Crawford County?

PB: If we develop and capitalize on the tourism element, as we get the workforce, the industries will grow. Hopefully, some grants will become available for us instead of the other side of the state. We should make regulations adequate but not burdensome to create a workforce-friendly environment, and then industry will follow.

LO: Keep our taxes and regulations in check. It also goes back to education, even from a young age. We must make those offerings available in high school and develop our tech schools to truly support our trades and industry.

6. With the lack of high-speed internet, how do you see that changing and along what timeline?

LO: Co-ops have been using grants to provide internet in the country. But the big companies don’t see a return on investment, so they’re not going for it. So I think we should provide more incentives at the state level so those big companies will make this happen faster for our communities.

PB: As quickly as we can. Crawford County is losing population. Instead of grants, we issue low-interest loans to co-ops that are willing to put fiber in the ground. 

7. How would you address the college graduate with concerns of their $90,000 loan?

PB: The rates they’re charging interest are far more than buying a car or a house. Let’s make it so these kids can graduate and move forward. It’s a disgrace they have to move out of the district to find the highest-paying jobs. When they’re in high school, I would encourage them to work hard to get scholarships. But don’t ever be completely afraid of debt. Education is an investment.

LO: Not only does it weigh on them, but it weighs on the economy when these graduates come out of school and they have to live so minimally so they can afford their loans. Again, I would push getting more college classes and apprenticeships into high schools and vocational schools so the youth can create those credits earlier on. For employees who want to further their education, I’d like to see them get some help with that through grants and initiatives while they work. It’d be a win-win for the employer and the employee.

8. What incentives would you support to increase tourism?

LO: Improving our roads, promoting attractions like the wineries and micro-breweries that are popping up, helping businesses in town through low-interest loans to improve their store fronts, and getting broadband to everyone.

PB: Trim the trees on Highway 35 so you can see the river, and make sure they can get to the river to fish. We need to utilize the Wisconsin Idea and get the universities to help; that’s how our grapes blossomed into a winery industry. Innovation and application are key to the future.

9. What suggestions or solutions do you have for the flooding we’ve sustained?

LO: I think we need to do some hard, hard studying on the best answer and not just throw money at it and expect a fix. Let’s look at the watersheds and find the correct answer. We need to push to put money in the state budget to research the best answer.

PB: It’s time to end the denial of climate change. We need a government in Madison that respects science and understands this is the new norm. We’re dealing with towns and villages who are in the new flood plain. We need to facilitate moving communities to higher ground like some that already have done so.

10. Would you propose raising the gas tax, by how much and how would that affect the infrastructure of our roads?

PB: Our roads have been severely neglected. We borrow more money, and each year our debt service gets higher. I need to look at the whole picture, but we need to stop some of these big projects in southeast Wisconsin. We also recently committed $4 million toward a foreign corporation that would’ve gone a long way toward our roads.

LO: I want to look at the whole picture as well. But I’ve found there’s no plan through the DOT. So we can’t just throw money at something without a plan. I’m just one voice out of 99, but I’m going to be very loud. We need to be heard out here.

11. Would you support health care for all and how would we pay for it?

LO: No, because I believe we have a health care system that’s one of the best in the country where people are being taken care of. If we go to universal health care, who’s controlling it? Do we want a government that’s controlling our health care? I cannot get behind that.

PB. Yes, on a sliding scale as to your income. We’ve got this crazy system that’s paid for by insurance companies. The health care system is broken and Madison has not made it any better.

12. Is there a future for small, diversified farms?

PB. It’s simply impossible to see a future where small farms can compete with large farms. I think there is but you have to find new products. You promote, you explain why they should pay for it. 

LO: It’s a struggle to see where this has come. Our government should be a partner, not a barrier to farmers. I think we can bring in more diversified organic.

13. Comment on the president’s tariffs and how we’re affected.

LO: This has affected me personally. Yes, he’s brought Mexico and Canada on board with the new agreement, but it’s concerning if we don’t get this resolved fairly quickly.

PB: This is an unnecessary self-inflicted wound. I do business with people I trust and have built relationships with. That trust is gone. Mexico has signed agreements with the European union for cheese. Brazil has expanded its corn and bean production. We’ve just jump-started their ag industries.

14. How can our district respond to the dire statistics, such as Western Wisconsin having the highest farm bankruptcies in the nation?

PB: Welcome to capitalism in the free market. We should put in place a two-tier system pricing milk. That would’ve slowed the large farm expansion, but it was taken out of the Farm Bill at the last second. The exodus that is going to occur this winter if milk prices don’t rebound is going to be nothing short of a blood bath.

LO: Support local in any way that we can. I fear the exodus too. But, at the state education level, we should provide these farmers the opportunity to go back to school so they can get back to work as soon as possible, because the physical and mental strain is awful for the individuals, families and communities.

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