By Heather Ruenz
Sln Staff
In his re-election bid for state Assembly District 32, Rep. Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva) is facing challenger Katherine Gaulke (D-Delavan), founder of the Wisconsin Association of Free & Charitable Clinics.
The 32nd Assembly district includes the cities of Delavan and Lake Geneva, townships of Bloomfield, Delavan, East Troy, Geneva, Lafayette, Linn and Springfield, and villages of East Troy and Genoa City.
August, 35, was elected in 2010 and since 2013, has been elected as the State Assembly’s Speaker Pro Tempore. He said there are several issues important to him including “holding the line on taxes, protecting pre-existing conditions, improving our schools and keeping the government out of our healthcare decisions.”
He said he’s voted based on those priorities “and will continue to do so in the future. Wisconsin is better off today than it was eight years ago.”
According to August, this election offers a choice between building “on our success as a state or returning to the failed policies of the past.”
Among the successes to build on, August said, are holding the line on property taxes, cutting taxes more than $8 billion and unemployment being at a historic low.
Other areas of focus for August include ensuring a strong business climate for a healthy economy, lowering the tax burden, investing in education and workforce development, implementing government reforms, and protecting rights and freedoms.
Gaulke, 40, resigned from her position with the WAFCC to run her campaign for the 32nd Assembly, and said she set out wanting to engage people that either haven’t voted at all, or haven’t voted consistently.
“The community support and our team of volunteers are people that have never been involved in politics who are now active and talking about taking their children to the polls to show them how important it is to vote,” Gaulke said.
If elected, Gaulke said one of her top priorities will be to address healthcare issues.
“Protecting pre-existing conditions and bringing down copays and deductibles, those are important. Healthcare should be affordable and it’s not,” Gaulke said.
Another issue, she said, is addressing the funding formulas that put some districts at an unfair advantage.
“We need to fully fund our public school system. If the state offers student loans at a lower interest rate, say 4 percent, it’s a win-win situation. We’ll get a return on our investment that will go toward helping our public schools,” Gaulke said.
Other issues Gaulke will support if elected include legalization of marijuana, nonpartisan redistricting, and small business, manufacturers and farmers within the greater community of the district.
Gaulke said she’s an advocate, not a politician.
“We have to think outside the box and need to create opportunities to fund programs,” she said.
For more information about Tyler August visit tyleraugust.com or about Katherine Gaulke visit gaulke4assembly.com.
