Vos, Albrecht offer clear choice for voters in 63rd District
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff Writer
There has been no shortage of vitriol when it comes to political races in Wisconsin – not in the last two years.
So, with incumbent Robin Vos running on the Republican ticket and Kelley Albrecht challenging him on the Democratic ticket in the 63rd Assembly District race, it’s not surprising that the two seem to have very different points of view.
Albrecht, a first-time candidate and mother of three with ties to the local Progressive Party, decided during the battle over Act 10 in 2011 that something needed to change.
“I was so complacent,” she said of being involved politically and accepting who she had representing her.
Now, things have changed – and with it, she thinks, a change should come in the form of the 63rd district representative.
“(Robin Vos) just doesn’t feel he is accountable to the people,” Albrecht explained. “Even if we have an opposing view, we should still be heard.
“I am deeply concerned about the direction our state is going,” she added. “This ‘divide and conquer’ strategy and not working.”
Vos proud of record
In contrast, Vos said that he is “incredibly proud” to represent the people of Racine County, and feels he is listening to the people.
“I realize Wisconsin is at a crucial time in our history,” he said. “(People) worry about the future of our children. We’re at a time where we need to make important decisions.”
Vos, who is perhaps the most prominent Republican in the state Assembly, said this week that he has stood by what he promised to do – balance the state budget without raising taxes, create private sector jobs, educate children for the jobs of the future, and stand up for new voter ID laws.
The question Albrecht asks in return: at what cost? She said Act 10 helped in pitting sides against one another, and that the voter ID law might stop voter fraud – but also keep seniors or those without a permanent address from voting.
“I think it went too far,” Albrecht said of the voter ID law. But she also felt that the balanced state budget came at the expense of the quality of education. While Vos argues that Act 10 gave districts the ability to balance budgets by cutting benefit costs, Albrecht said the state still took too much state funding away.
Vos came back by saying that districts like Burlington Area School District saved $1 million by allowing competitive bidding for health insurance.
“Act 10 gave more flexibility to local school districts,” he said. “That’s why we could make the cuts and have almost no impact on educational quality.”
Albrecht said there are districts now trying to survive with one gym teacher, one social worker – districts that have had to make cuts.
While Vos can point to BASD as an example of how Act 10 works for districts, there have also been numerous cuts forced because of a decrease in state aid and also declining local enrollment.
Split over job creation
The two also disagree on what has constituted job creation so far.
“There are not family-sustaining jobs,” Albrecht said. “People are forced to work 2-3 jobs just to put food on the table.
As a result, she said, people are having to choose between, say, feeding families or choosing health insurance.
Vos argued that private-sector jobs are being created.
“I think we see Wisconsin is heading in the right direction, even if the national economy is slowing now.”
But both have at least one bit of common ground: the idea that the other side is too busy championing his or her own work to try and find the middle.
Albrecht said, for her part, she tried speaking with both Vos and Rep. Samantha Kerkman.
“They chose to ignore me,” Albrecht explained, adding that many of the constituents felt the same way when she spoke with them.
“They have the right to be heard,” she said.
Vos said Albrecht has spent more time criticizing others than focusing on what the state has done, calling her part of the “angry left.”
“I think that’s not what the people of Racine County want,” he said. “I think we should engage in conversations. But in order for two sides to sit down, you have to do it without yelling and shouting.”
The 63rd Assembly district includes all of Western Racine County with the exception of the Bohners Lake are, which is now in the 32nd Assembly District.
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I know first hand that Kelly feels that she is above protocal,S.O.P’S. She confirmed this dyring her time as Burlington Little League President on several occasions. I would be very cautious of giving her “ANY” power. She seems to have no issues with over stepping her boundries.
You are so right! Every BLL parent knows this. Why else would Kelley leave BLL out of her list of qualifications/experience in running this campaign. What a joke!
I agree with Vos – Kelley IS part of the angry left. Google her. Actions speak louder than words. She’s showed up at Paul Ryan’s office unannounced with a group of people DEMANDING to be heard (an appointment is required). She’s protested outside a home for a private fundraiser for Vos. She’s shouted/interrupted Paul Ryan and was thrown out of an event at GTC in Kenosha. This behavior is very telling of her personality. She is completely unprofessional. Who behaves that way? The angry left does, that’s who! Is this really someone we would want representing us?? My answer is NO.
I feel anyone with an ego that large is detrimental to any progress that the goverment offers. Not to mention being unqualified & unprofessional.In “WAY” over her head. Disasterous results if elected.
She has proven that she unable to seperating her personal feelings from her professional feelings. I was robbed of a once in a lifetime opporitunity (that I earned according to B.L.L. S.O.P.’S) due to her huge ego. I would hate to have anyone else have to tolerate her rants,especially on a goverment level.She should not be trusted. I only see emberassment for whom ever she represents.
Painting Kelley as an angry person is just a dodge. If you want to talk about personality then Robin Vos would be open to quite a slew of things to discuss and he would lose. But that is small minded thinking. I thought that the issues were what mattered to the district and to the state. Kelley has my vote because:
1. Kelley is pro education. Vos is pro voucher. Voucher schools are costing tax payers a great deal of money for very uncertain results. The on-line “school choice” schools are for profit and cost more than the local schools to the tax payers. Parents in the on-line schools should ask what the teacher to pupil ratio is. If the schools do not lie they will have to say there are over 300 students to each teacher. But since there is no way to have over site on voucher and many school choice schools, this information is hidden from the folks that pay, the tax payers.
2. Kelley is pro environment. Robin Vos limited the speaking time of an international expert on mining and ground water pollution when she was testifying against the mine in northern Wisconsin. He wanted to force the mine on a community that didn’t want it.
3. Kelley is for good health resources for all. Vos wants to limit Badger Health Care by lowering the income limits for poor working families.
4. Kelley is for fair taxation. Robin Vos is a member of ALEC and is supported by the millionaire Koch Brothers. He has the interests of big companies and the wealthy over the middle class.
5. Kelley is pro labor. Robin Vos is anti union. The Republican party would like to even eliminate the minimum wage. We will become much like the workers in China.
I have to think that you will see her ‘True Colors’ down the road. There are several dozen people(parents,teachers,business owners,coach’s all pro education) that have seen & heard the broken promises,verbal rants,threatening phone calls, unauthorized dismisal,massive need for people to acknowledge & verbally cowaring to her immaginary authority,inability to produce productive & constructive results while abiding by S.O.P.’s when faced with adversity. But live & learn.If I were someone thinking of voting for her I would question why she did not claim her time as Burlington Little League President as a qualification? I know why she did not offer this information.It is because she was completely in over her head & unqualified to hold that position. And as I see now, history has a way of repeating itself.
True colors? I think we’ve already seen Vos’ true colors. He is an angry, demeaning man. He supports privatizing education, supports getting rid of collective bargaining, he is a member of the shady organization ALEC, and for the 1%. Kelley is like you and me. The difference is that she has taken the chance to stand up for ALL of us.
I am “NOTHING” like Kelly. I believe in S.O.P.’S & following rules,respecting the public,integrity,setting examples by my actions not by shallow words. I belive you have good intentions in placing your vote with someone you think will stand up for the common person. However I totally disagree with you saying that Kelly is the person to represent the working classes. I have seen her idea of leadership first hand & let me tell you that is she conducts politics in the same manner in which I have witnessed, she will be a complete emberassment to everyone that trusted her.
I’m not sure when she became compitent enough to run for politics because 5 yrs. ago she was panhandeling pictures in parking lots at youth sporting events. In all of my dealings with her she was a lack of options & not a choice. She made several well respected people quit volunteering in the Burlington community with the way she conducted herself. I doubt much has changed.
Well, just like I thought, I am thankful that we won’t HAVE to worry about Kelley “representing” our district now.
Poetic justice.