Blog | Steve Hilgenberg

Endorsed as 'Leader for Conservation and Education'

Posted Nov 03 at 11 AM
Steve is endorsed by the following groups:

CONSERVATION
- The League of Conservation Voters gave Steve one of the highest ratings for his voting record on environmental issues (93%).
- The Sierra Club
EDUCATION
HEALTH CARE
LABOR & PROFESSIONAL GROUPS
WOMEN'S RIGHTS
Capitol Times Stumps for Hilgenberg

Posted Oct 30 at 5 PM
51st Assembly: Steve Hilgenberg's a leader for small-town Wisconsin

By the Capitol Times Editorial Board

10/27/2008

Small-business man, high school coach and veteran Dodgeville School Board member Steve Hilgenberg joined the Legislature after his election two years ago as a man on a mission.

Hilgenberg wanted to provide real representation for working farmers, small-business owners and the residents of rural communities. And he knew that, to do so, he had to be a leader in the fight for health care and education reforms, which are essential not just to his constituents in southwest Wisconsin's 51st District.

Within days of being sworn in, Hilgenberg was speaking up about the need to do more to help farm families gain access to affordable health care. And he hasn't stopped.

Hilgenberg has proven to be a tremendous asset to the Democratic caucus and the Legislature as a whole. He forces not just Republicans but his fellow Democrats to pay attention to farm, rural and small-town issues. He knows how to compromise when necessary. But, unlike Republican rival Nathan Russell of Sauk City, Hilgenberg is committed to the cause of returning Wisconsin to its progressive roots.

As such, he's been a legislative reformer, working hard to pass an ethics bill and promoting nonpartisan redistricting that creates competitive legislative districts. With state Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, he wrote legislation to limit campaign spending on judicial races and proposed steps to reduce the special-interest expenditures on Supreme Court races. And he's not stopping there. Once he gets our judicial races cleaned up, Hilgenberg says, "There's really no reason this shouldn't eventually apply to all state races. It's not that radical a proposal. We're trying to make the districts fairer, get the special-interest money out, limit spending, limit campaigns and make candidates run competitive races."

Hilgenberg is the old-fashioned rural reformer with exactly the right ideas for the 21st century. He has our enthusiastic support as he seeks a second term.
Low Road Politics

Posted Oct 30 at 4 PM
Recently the assembly districts surrounding District 51 have been inundated with mailings and radio ads that originated in Michigan, accusing the local representatives of supporting health care for illegal aliens.

I spoke with Nathan Russell, Steve Hilgenberg’s opponent, about this recently and he said that he would denounce such an effort if it came to District 51.

Mr. Russell has a strange way of “denouncing”. Within a week, Nathan was mailing out his own version of the “hate” ads with even more errors than the original. Apparently the folks in Michigan do not think much of Russell’s campaign, as he had to send the flyer out himself.

Mr. Russell states that Steve Hilgenberg supports “Healthy Wisconsin”. Steve has no connection with Healthy Wisconsin beyond keeping aware of the plan.

Healthy Wisconsin does not give people from out of state or illegal aliens free health care. You must be a legal resident of Wisconsin for twelve months or be a fully employed resident. The “legal” part also takes care of the illegal alien question.

Russell claims the plan will tax “$510 per paycheck per month”, but does not mention that it pays for the insurance and replaces other premiums. I have paid more than that for employee-subsidized insurance.

Russell goes on with other accusations and innuendos, which are hard to refute when it is not clear what they even mean.

At a recent forum in Blanchardville, Russell said that he was wrong about saying Healthy Wisconsin. He meant AB94. Assembly Bill 94 sets up a board to plan and does not establish any health care system.

Mr. Russell’s inability to get even the elementary facts straight calls his judgment into question.

Mr. Russell says he is a "Fresh Voice" but he just spreads the same old half-truths, un-truths and questionable politics.

The people in District 51, and Wisconsin as well, deserve better than this.

Doug Huebner

1472 Banner Rd

Hollandale, WI 53544
Upholding Tax Fairness

Posted Oct 21 at 10 AM
Steve helped Dodgeville farmer Ron Lewis (center) keep his farmhouse.

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By Steve Hilgenberg

As your legislator, I represent the interests of as many citizens as possible but often two people or two groups hold opposing views on the same issue. One such issue is the value use assessment on farmland. Value use assessment is an attempt by the Legislature to address the difficulties farmers have working the land that is assessed at a high rate. By reducing the tax on farmland, the state attempted to allow farmers a better opportunity to make a profit. Because the state did not make an equal reduction in its spending, a tax reduction for one group became a tax increase to another.

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Most of those involved agree that there are people abusing the tax reduction. These people are not interested in preserving farmland. I understand the situation. That is a far cry from believing I want to get rid of value use assessment. What we should focus on is those who are abusing the tax break.

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It has been stated that I want to eliminate all tax exemptions on farm equipment and inputs. This is simply not true. I have stated that expanding the sales tax to cover some goods and services presently exempt should be an option. For example, why are seats in luxury boxes exempt from sales tax while bleacher seats are taxed? Why are political ads on TV exempt while printed political flyers are taxed?

To say that I want to tax farm equipment is a political smoke screen, a way to deceive voters.                .

A last minute reminder, I will be participating in the third candidate forum at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 22 at the Sauk Prairie High School. The fourth forum, sponsored by the Iowa County Towns Association, will be in Dodgeville at the Courthouse at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, October 27. In addition, radio debates have been scheduled for Wednesday, October 29 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. on WGLR and Monday, November 3 on WEKZ from 5:00-6:00pm.

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Steve Provides Imporant Voter Information

Posted Sep 29 at 4 PM
IMPORTANT VOTER INFORMATION

By State Representative Steve Hilgenberg

Now that Election Day is less than six weeks away, it’s a good time to make sure you and your family members are able to vote. Over the past few days, I’ve received several calls from constituents with questions about voter registration, polling places, and absentee ballots. I want to take this chance to address these questions and clearly outline the steps you need to take to vote on November 4^th.

How can I check if I’m registered to vote?

Visit the Voter Public Access website at http://vpa.wi.gov to look up your voter registration and your polling place location. Make sure that you enter in your full first name under the search criteria. If you have problems accessing your registration, contact the Wisconsin Elections Board at 608-266-8005.

How do I register to vote?

There are three ways to register to vote: by mail, in person, or at the polling place on Election Day. To register by mail, you must complete an Application for Voter Registration and mail it to your local town, village, or city clerk. This form can be accessed online at http://elections.state.wi.us under the ‘Voter Information’ tab and it must be postmarked no later than October 15^th. If you are a first-time voter registering by mail, you must include one proof of residence (i.e. a driver’s license with your current address, a utility bill, a bank statement, etc.). For more information on what documents can be used for proof of residence, visit http://elections.state.wi.us and select the ‘Voter Information’ tab.

To register in person, visit your local town, village, or city clerk’s office before November 4^th. Make sure you bring identification and proof of residence.

If you wish to register to vote at your polling place on Election Day, you must bring identification and proof that you have lived at your present location for at least 10 days preceding the election.

How do I apply for an absentee ballot?

If you are not already registered, you will need to register to vote before an absentee ballot can be sent to you. Once registered, you must submit an Application for an Absentee Ballot to your local clerk. The application is available online at http://elections.state.wi.us under the ‘Voter Information’ tab and it must be received by your clerk no later than October 30^th. Once the clerk processes your application, they will send you a ballot which must be sent back and received by the clerk no later than 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

If you have any further questions or concerns, contact the Wisconsin Elections Board at 608-266-8005.

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Senator Feingold Stumps for Hilgenberg

Posted Sep 23 at 4 PM
Highlight’s Hilgenberg’s efforts to clean up Wisconsin Elections

DODGEVILLE – United States Senator Russ Feingold appeared at a campaign rally for State Representative Steve Hilgenberg (D-Dodgeville) today at a home in Dodgeville.  Senator Feingold, who has endorsed Rep. Hilgenberg's candidacy, spoke enthusiastically about the need to return the lawmaker to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

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Feingold applauded Rep. Hilgenberg's Impartial Justice Bill (AB 250), stating it’s hard to underestimate the importance of cleaning up Wisconsin's elections and praised the newly elected lawmaker for his efforts.  Rep. Hilgenberg is seeking re-election in November to continue to serve the people of the 51st Assembly District.

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STEVE ADDRESSES THE ISSUES

Posted Sep 03 at 5 PM

Dear Friends,

Now that campaign season is in full swing, I will be posting regular reports on the ISSUES that are important to the citizens of the 51st Assembly District.

Since day one, I have maintained that government is a bottom-up process. I've made a strong effort to gather input and feedback from the businesses and families of the 51st District - and that input has determined my focus. The challenges that these individuals face are the ones I've worked to address and will continue to confront in the State Assembly.

To view my reports, select the ISSUES tab located on the left-hand side of your screen.

Sincerely,

Steve Hilgenberg

Steve's Report

Posted Aug 12 at 9 AM

A Fine State of Affairs:

Periodic reports to the faithful, from Steve Hilgenberg

Dear friends,

Greetings to all my supporters from the campaign trail. Here we are in an election race again. Two years ago, when I ran for Assembly for the first time, most of us were new at this business. I started out with complete confidence that I could win, never fully realizing what a big challenge it was to beat an entrenched incumbent. Now I am the incumbent, though not particularly entrenched. My immediate challenge is simply (!) to hold onto my seat (people are always telling me that anyway, in one form or another) But of course we want to accomplish much more than that. I’m counting on your help to keep the 51st Assembly seat Democratic so we can continue to return the state to its progressive roots.

First, let’s look at what has happened during the past two years. It was not a term filled with great deeds and triumphant trumpet blasts, but we did pave the way for some good things coming up.

We passed an ethics reform bill

Ethics reform was one of my campaign issues, and my opponent didn’t take it seriously enough. When I took office, one of the things the Legislature dealt with and passed was an ethics reform bill (creating a Government Accountability Board). I voted Yes on SB1. The Republican leadership understood the issue cost them a number of seats in the Assembly. I thought, good, we’ll be moving right along and taking care of business. We addressed a few more minor bills as we went along in January and then....

The governor’s budget came out

The proposed biennial budget came out for deliberation and stopped all forward motion, (like a fourth helping of cheese fondue). Approving a budget is the only thing the Legislature is really required to do, and we didn’t do a very good job of it. The Republicans had a majority in the Assembly, the Democrats had a majority in the Senate and the Guv is a Democrat. All three branches had to agree.

We were in a bind (there’s the fondue again) because 25 Assembly Republicans had taken a ‘Grover Norquist’ pledge that they would not raise taxes under any circumstances. That pretty much rules out any serious attempt to reach a compromise.

They’re not concerned about how we might adjust spending or how we are going to address people’s needs. Their only option is to cut programs and services. Another tendency the conservative caucus has is a willingness to borrow to cover budget shortfalls. Apparently putting present obligations off into long term debt is not a tax to the no-tax gang, even if it is a tax we are laying on the backs of future generations. If we need to spend more to provide vital services to people, we need to be honest about it and bite the bullet.

Budget and other successes

There were a number of victories in the last budget that we can be happy about. The reauthorization of the Stewardship Fund (SB 40) was a huge success. The fund for the previous 10-year period provided $60 million per year. The governor asked for $105 million for the next 10-year period. The Assembly Republicans countered with an embarrassing $25 million. The final vote on the budget put the authorization at $85 million. Realizing that this was a popular Wisconsin program, the Republicans agreed to this higher figure, as they were showing signs of voting with their eye on the 2008 election.

Another success story was the expansion of Badger Care (SB 40). Through Badger Care Plus, 98% of all children in Wisconsin can receive health care coverage. The Governor continued his baby-step approach to health care reform but it is a great step in the right direction.

The budget also included increases in school funding for special education, the SAGE program and high poverty districts.

During the budget stalemate I joined an effort with other legislators to promote Senior Care, a popular Wisconsin prescription drug program. The federal government was about to pull the plug on the program, but through a petition campaign, the effort did not go unnoticed in Washington. We saved Senior Care! Now efforts must be taken to ensure that the extension becomes permanent.

Wisconsin did its part when it ratified the Great Lakes Compact on May 14th. This will set up a program to manage the waters of the Great Lakes, which contain 20% of the fresh water of the world.

More work to do

Health Care

In addition to Badger Care Plus, the Senate unveiled a truly bold and comprehensive plan which fell into the ‘giant step’ category. Healthy Wisconsin was added to their version of the budget. It was a compromise plan that included parts of three different plans that were competing for public support. Once the compromise plan became public, it received a lot of attention and we found it had much wider appeal than anyone had predicted, especially among the business community.

But it did have its drawbacks, its flaws. It was argued that the plan was put into the budget at the last minute and Republicans didn’t have enough time to study it. That may be true but its presence in the budget forced it onto the table where it couldn’t be ignored, it had to be discussed. The reception the plan received guarantees its revival in the upcoming session. The Republicans will have to present more than “ Health Savings Accounts” and “Transparency” to address the seriousness of this problem to our economy. We have come up with several plans more like the successful systems in the rest of the developed world. We have access to facilities and doctors, but many people cannot afford the costs of health care.

The Health of our Planet

Our health depends on the health of our planet and an example of this is the recent situation at the Olympics in Beijing. The air pollution over the city is so bad that the athletes had to practice hundreds of miles away and then come to Beijing only when it was time to compete. The situation there is not unique and cannot be blamed solely on the behavior of a particular city. Although cities emit huge amounts of pollutants, much of the problem originates in other environments. And it all contributes to our planet’s health and climate change.

The challenge of climate change must be met by reducing our use of fossil fuels, developing “clean” energy sources and responsibly implementing sustainable practices. I supported AB157 to establish statewide standards for realistic, environmentally sound reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. Unfortunately this bill went nowhere; the Assembly Republicans refused to bring it out of committee for debate. An attempt was made through a “pulling” motion to have the bill go directly to the Assembly floor, but it was once again voted down along straight party lines.

Now is the time to introduce legislation to educate all citizens regarding practices that can be implemented to promote sustainable living. In the budget I voted to create a renewable energy grant and loan program and voted against a bill to lift the prohibition on energy companies building new nuclear power plants in Wisconsin. I continue to support grants for renewable energy to decrease our usage of fossil fuels. I simply will not sit back and let the future happen when there are steps that can be taken to address the effects of climate change now.

School Funding Still Needs Fixing

We talked during the last campaign about rural districts being hurt by revenue limits and the QEO (Qualified Economic Offer) that were put in place in 1993. The built-in gap between revenues and costs continues to expand each year with the remedy offered by the state being local referendum to exceed the revenue limit and add the increase to our local property tax levy. This cycle of repeating referenda continues to shatter communities and poison the educational environment in local public schools for our children. I support plans that will make state funds more equitable and reduce the reliance on homeowner property taxes by closing corporate loopholes and expanding sales taxes.

Election Funding, Not There Yet

It’s obvious with the two most recent Supreme Court races, that we have a long way to go in the way we fund these elections. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), the largest lobbying body in the state, spent more than $2 million in each of the two races, and in my opinion, determined the outcome. They bought those seats and cast a shadow of doubt on the impartiality of the state’s highest court. Newly elected justice Annette Ziegler, after receiving more than $2.5 million from WMC in campaign support, wrote the court’s decision in favor of an appeal by the Menasha Corporation. The Corporation’s appeal in the case was funded by none other than WMC. Conflict of interest? Coincidence?

In any case, the way to resolve this conflict is to get special interest money out of judicial races. Rep. Gordon Hinz, from Oshkosh, and I wrote AB250 last session to limit campaign spending and proposed a way to cut down on outside expenditures. There’s really no reason this shouldn’t eventually apply to all state races. It’s not that radical a proposal. We’re trying to make the districts fairer, get the special-interest money out, limit spending, limit campaigns and make candidates run competitive races.

Politicians Must be Answerable to Voters

We need to take the temptation to fix districts out of the hands of political parties. Redistricting should be done by non-partisan, objective bodies. Creating safe seats also can create incumbents who can take radical, uncompromising positions. Voter turnout is suppressed and interest in outcomes is diminished. Power becomes centralized and decisions are put in the hands of fewer and fewer voters. This may seem comfortable but leads to the great partisan divide most of us are unhappy with.

The Smoking Ban

Twenty-three states have passed a comprehensive smoking ban. 69% of all Wisconsinites favor a statewide ban. It is time for the legislature to get on board!

One ending note…

I am so looking forward to my next term in office, when I can introduce legislation and don’t have to hear someone say, “Why should I bring this bill up for a hearing? I know it’s good, but he’s a Democrat and a freshman.”

Vote Hilgenberg !!

We have just under 100 days left in this campaign. I am knocking on doors, attending parades, fundraisers and other events. Sometimes it is difficult to be a “campaigner” when the houses I’m knocking on have hoses running out of them as their basements are flooded. Sometimes it is difficult when I can’t find a dry path to get to their door! Campaigning then seems downright trivial. But it is the face-to-face experiences that give me the best opportunity to listen to people’s concerns about their lives and what direction they believe the state should be taking. It is through these experiences that my commitment to serve the people of the 51st is renewed. I thank you all for your previous support and ask you once again to grant me the privilege to serve you in 2008.

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Don’t hesitate to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. I need to know what you’re thinking in order to act on your behalf.

For all official business,

you can call me toll-free at 1-888-534-0051;

send email to rep.hilgenberg@legis.wi.gov;

or write to: Representative Steve Hilgenberg, PO Box 8952, Madison, WI 53708.

For personal or campaign-related correspondence,

use my personal email: mayohil@countryspeed.com

If you know of a friend who would like to receive this newsletter, or if someone has forwarded this issue to you and you would like to be put on the mailing list, please contact emma@mhtc.net with your request.

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