Of course, it’s still a bit early for the flowers to begin to display their glory, but the political signs have sprouted in yards all over town and are a sure signal that the spring election in Wisconsin is near. A quick check of the calendar shows that the election is on April 6th- one week from today – although absentee ballots are already available in the West Bend City Clerk’s office on the second floor of City Hall.
One of the most energetic races on the ballot is for the West Bend School Board. There are two seats up for election and four candidates running. Every voter will be able to vote for two people and the top two vote recipients will win the seats.
Voters in the West Bend School District are fortunate that they have a real choice. Far too many times, incumbents run unopposed in local elections. The two incumbents, Kathy Van Eerden and Lynn Corazzi, are both running. Randy Marquardt and David Weigand are the challengers.
The good news is that all four candidates want the best possible education for the kids in the West Bend School District. All four of them have great ideas to maintain and improve the effectiveness and quality of education.
There are, however, some severe differences in philosophy as to how to achieve the goal of a great education.
Many citizens have already identified the fault lines between the candidates and it is apparent in those colorful yard signs. As I drove around the district, I have seen a lot of homes with a Corrazi and Van Eerden sign, and a lot of homes with a Marquardt and a Weigand sign, but never any other combination. I have yet to witness, for example, any homeowner who decided to place a Weigand and a Van Eerden sign in their yard. The candidates have self-selected their side of this electoral crevice. The incumbents are campaigning as a de facto ticket as are the challengers.
The breakdown is basically this: while all four candidates want the best education possible for the kids, the incumbents are, and have been, strong supporters of tax increases to achieve that end while the challengers are more willing to look for ways to work within the existing means of the district’s finances.
Lynn Corazzi was appointed to the school board last year. He ran for the board in 2008, but failed to win the seat. At the time, he voiced support for the previous failed $119.3 million referendum as a “comprehensive, financially responsible investment.” Since being on the board, he voted to increase the tax levy to the maximum and in favor of both school referendums that were put on the ballot last year. In other words, he hasn’t yet met a tax or spending increase that he couldn’t support.
Kathy Van Eerden is running for her fourth term on the board. She also supported the past three school referenda and has voted for the maximum tax levy increase several years over. Also, it must be noted, that the board has for a few years complained about the mismanagement of building maintenance by past school boards. One can’t escape the fact that Van Eerden was a member of those past boards and is directly culpable for those lamentable decisions.
David Weigand is running for the board as a father, businessman and avowed advocate for the kids, as well as the taxpayer. He has been putting forth inventive and workable ideas, like expanded virtual education and enhancing the gifted and talented program, to manage the district without having to once again hammer a community with 12 percent+ unemployment with yet another tax increase.
Randy Marquardt is also a businessman and father running with a desire to provide a great education while also taking into account the input from all stakeholders, including the taxpayers. He has a solid background in construction, which is particularly apropos given the district’s current struggles to manage its space and maintenance issues.
The voters of the school district do indeed have a choice next week, and it’s not about which candidates want the best education for the district’s kids. They are all equal in that desire. The choice is between who will strive toward that goal in a creative and balanced way and not reflexively assume that the source of every problem is that they district hasn’t taxed enough. As for me, my choice is Randy Marquardt and David Weigand.
(Owen B. Robinson, a West Bend resident, is a blogger who publishes at www.bootsandsabers.com. His column runs Tuesdays in the Daily News.)
