Newsmakers, October 6, 2016

Alicia Leinberger, D-Viroqua, is running for the 96th Assembly District seat in southwestern Wisconsin because she believes the district which includes Vernon, Crawford and a portion of Monroe Counties isn’t being well-represented.

“There’s a disassociation between the constituency and the things that they value and the way that they want to see the government working, and what’s actually happening in the capitol,” she said. “And I think its getting to a point where I think its dangerous.”

Leinberger owns a renewable energy business and is challenging state Rep. Lee Nerison, R-Westby, who is seeking a seventh two-year term in the Assembly. Nerison chose not to participate in a Wisconsin Public Radio debate with Leinberger.

She points to the fallout from Act 10 which stripped collective bargaining rights from many state employees (Nerison voted against Act 10) and other measures approved by the Republican legislature that she said have harmed K-12 public education (property tax limits and private school voucher expansion) as a good example of that disconnect.

“Mr. Nerison has voted a number of times, even though he keeps saying he voted against Act 10, there’s a number of other votes he’s taken that shows in reality, he goes right along with the agenda,” she said.

Leinberger said the biggest challenge facing the 96th Assembly District is low wages in a conventional agricultural economy that is struggling with low commodity prices, forcing may people to work two or three jobs.

Conversely, she said organic farming driven by national leader Organic Valley based in La Farge is a strength, one that her opponent Lee Nerison, who chairs the assembly agriculture committee has not done enough to help.

Leinberger said organic farmers need more support from state government in transitioning from conventional to organic farming, and issues like organic licensing and marketing.

“It’s interesting to me that Mr. Nerison, after 12 years in the legislature, and as ag chair has never written one piece of legislation that helps other farmers come into that market base,” she said.