By Press Times Staff
GREEN BAY – After defeating Democratic incumbent Stausch Gruszynski in the primary, Kristina Shelton now faces Republican Drew Kirsteatter for the race for the 90th Assembly District.
Shelton defeated Gruszynski by garnering 78 percent of the primary votes.
She currently is the program director for the YWCA Greater Green Bay and the vice president of the Green Bay school board.
Kirsteatter is a musician, student at NWTC and has full-time employment, according to his campaign website.
The Press Times emailed each candidate the same questions and gave them 100 words to respond to each.
The 90th Assembly District is comprised of most of the City of Green Bay.
Kristina Shelton
What’s the biggest issue in District 90?
We must aim to make it through the COVID crisis stronger, more democratic and more equitable.
This includes both in the short-term, minimizing the spread of the virus and ensuring access to health care, and in the long-term, as we prepare to navigate the broader economic challenges.
With an expected decline in revenue, we must ensure valuable public services and supports do not lose crucial funding.
Our state’s millionaires and billionaires – some of whom have made record profits during the pandemic – need to step up and pay their fair share to ensure all Wisconsinites have what they need to thrive.
What should be done on the state level to handle the COVID-19 pandemic?
The Wisconsin Legislature should first pass the Healthcare Heroes Act.
This bill would accept Medicaid expansion dollars and provide additional benefits to health care workers, such as paid medical leave, state-funded COVID testing and treatment, and hazard pay.
We should further invest in our public health departments to identify and implement community interventions and public health campaigns to encourage the use of masks, hand washing and social distancing.
Finally, we need to ensure access to affordable testing, accurate contact tracing and personal protective equipment and essential supplies for schools, as well as for places of employment and community gatherings.
How should state lawmakers regulate the use of force by police? Should uniform standards be implemented statewide?
Our police provide a valuable public service, often serving as first responders when people in our community are in crisis.
It is clear, however, that we must implement some common-sense reforms at the state legislative level to set some standard limitations on the use of force.
I applaud Gov. Evers’ plan to ban chokeholds and no-knock search warrants.
We should also be thinking more broadly about how we invest in communities and services to support mental health, address addiction and homelessness and increase well-being.
With these investments, we can reduce the need for police interventions in non-violent crises.
What changes should be made to the state funding formula for public school districts to place less of a burden on property taxpayers and to avoid referendums?
While we work legislatively to address the inequities in the funding formula, we can act to implement solutions recommended by the bipartisan 2019 Blue Ribbon Task Force on Public School Funding.
One recommendation is to increase the reimbursement rate for special education.
Wisconsin’s reimbursement rate is one of the lowest.
A good goal is to set the rate at 60 percent.
Another recommendation is to prorate low-income students at 1.2 FTE.
This would support districts that serve a disproportionate number of low-income learners.
We must sunset the private school voucher program which cost taxpayers over $350 million in 2019-20.
How should lawmakers in Wisconsin work better together with less partisanship?
In spite of our political disagreements, Wisconsinites all want and deserve a functional and effective Legislature.
Throughout my campaign, I’ve made a point to reach out and listen to Republican voters, even when they don’t plan to vote for me.
I know there are issues and values on which we agree.
I expect to take the same approach if elected to the Assembly.
I’ll look for common ground with people across the political spectrum, particularly other officeholders in Northeast Wisconsin.
Quite simply, the future of our state depends on us being able to work together, even when we disagree.
Drew Kirsteatter
What’s the biggest issue in District 90?
Obviously right now COVID-19 is a huge issue – both the virus itself and the impact it’s having on so many other aspects of our community, economy and way of life.
Some top priorities for the Legislature in this upcoming session will be working with the projected budget deficit, ensuring Wisconsinites have sufficient health care coverage, and committing to protecting our small businesses and Wisconsin workers.
What should be done on the state level to handle the COVID-19 pandemic?
The state should work closely and efficiently with local counties and municipalities for targeted, locally applied solutions based on individual circumstances.
Blanket policies, mandates and regulations for the whole state do more harm than good.
We do need to take this issue seriously, and take decisive action to keep Wisconsinites safe, but that action should be limited and based on scientific data, not panic.
How should state lawmakers regulate the use of force by police? Should uniform standards be implemented statewide?
I am open to the conversation of looking at statewide use-of-force requirements.
Referring specifically to the governor’s nine-bill package proposed earlier this year, a number of his propositions are already state regulations, so for the Legislature to make them state statutes is little more than a feel-good measure.
I’m proud of the work the Green Bay Police Department has done in the last few months, examining their standards and looking into body cameras for officers, and I will work alongside them to continue finding solutions that work for the safety of Wisconsin citizens.
What changes should be made to the state funding formula for public school districts to place less of a burden on property taxpayers and to avoid referendums?
For the last eight years, Republican lawmakers have increased educational spending every single year, including a record increase in this past session.
A lack of resources isn’t the problem – mismanagement and administrative waste is.
Evidence is showing that private schools are getting better results on smaller budgets.
We need to take a hard look at the way we run our schools, reprioritize and eliminate waste in the system.
How should lawmakers in Wisconsin work better together with less partisanship?
At the end of the day, it comes down to having conversations and finding common ground.
I disagree with my opponent and her colleagues on practical plans and policies we support, but I recognize our motivations are often incredibly similar.
Whether it’s education, health care, police reform, or business and economic policies, we want what’s best for Wisconsinites, and using that as a starting point makes all the difference.
We can disagree on exactly how to get there, but if we have the same end goal, we can discuss, compromise and come together to take positive action.