Here are a few suggested questions you might want to ask candidates if you attend a candidate forum or meeting, or have other opportunities to communicate with those running for office.
Candidates for State Government Office:
Early Care and Education
- Recently $100 Million has been cut from the state child care budget. Research shows that if children are ready for school they are more likely to succeed, saving taxpayer money later. Do you support increased investment to improve the quality of early care and education for young children?
Health Care
- Governor Walker said the health insurance changes in his 2013-15 budget, coupled with the Affordable Care Act, would almost cut in half the number of uninsured Wisconsinites – even though the state was significantly reducing eligibility of adults for BadgerCare. If the state falls far short of that reduction in the uninsured, would you support using federal Medicaid funds to increase BadgerCare eligibility for parents and childless adults to 133% of the poverty level?
Juvenile Justice
- We know that providing appropriate services to youthful offenders can reduce reoffending, make our communities safer, and support stronger economic growth. Specifically, do you support returning jurisdiction over non-violent 17 year old offenders to the juvenile justice system?
Homestead Tax Credit
- In contrast to nearly all of the rest of the state tax code, Wisconsin’s Homestead Tax Credit isn’t automatically adjusted for inflation. As a result, this tax credit – which provides targeted property tax relief for low-income households and seniors – has been declining in value and fewer people are eligible. Should the Homestead Credit be adjusted annually for inflation?
Tax Cuts
- Lawmakers have been cutting taxes, even as the state reduces investments in children and families for lack of resources. What is the right balance of tax cutting and investing in Wisconsin’s future?
- The state tax cuts enacted this session will primarily benefit the highest earners, even though the wealthiest already pay a smaller share of their income in state and local taxes than people who are not as well off. Is giving tax cuts to the top earners the best way to create jobs in Wisconsin?
Candidates for Federal Government Office:
Early Care and Education
- Research demonstrates that investing in early learning pays off in higher graduation rates, reduced crime, and taxpayer savings. Do you support federal legislation that would expand access to quality early education?
Health Care
- The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which has enjoyed bipartisan Congressional support in past years, comes up for renewal in 2015. Do you support reauthorizing this source of federal support for health care coverage for children?
- Do you support continuation of the federal health care reform law? If so, are there changes or improvements you would support? If you don’t support continuing it, is there a replacement plan that you support?
Immigration
- The DREAM Act (Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, S. 744) is a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill that would provide a direct road to U.S. citizenship for undocumented youth who graduate from U.S. high schools and attend college or perform military service. Do you support the DREAM Act or a pathway for undocumented youth to become U.S. citizens?
Minimum Wage
- Do you support raising the federal minimum wage from $7.25/hour to $10.10/hour, a move that would give a raise to 1 out of 5 Wisconsin workers? The minimum wage was last increased in 2009.
Safety Net Programs
- Some lawmakers advocate for reducing investments in safety net program for vulnerable families as the best way to address the federal deficit. How do we find the best balance of new revenue and spending cuts that will keep the economy strong and our children safe and healthy?