Door County Election News – Getting To Know the Candidates

In an effort to give readers a better look at the candidates competing for the right to represent the 1st Assembly District in the State Legislature in Madison, the Pulse will be asking incumbent Representative Garey Bies and challengers Dick Skare and Chris Baeb to respond to a different question in each issue from now until election day, November 4.

If you have a question or topic you would like to see the candidates address, please email it to [email protected], and we may use it in a future issue.

This issue’s question: Tourism is a vital component of District 1’s economy, accounting for over $15,000 in spending per resident in Door County, the highest per capita spending in the state. What would you do to help bolster and protect the tourism industry in the region?

Christopher Baeb

We cannot deny the economics of the tourism industry but being a lifelong resident of Luxemburg, I have a slightly different take on this issue. I will work on matters that keep the tourist trade viable, but I also want to find ways to bring more year round family supporting jobs to the whole district. With a healthy economy, we can ensure our children a quality education which will keep them living and re-investing in our communities. Providing affordable health care to those who work in the tourism industry is a key component in this.

Roads and bridges must be maintained for the tourism industry and for all who live and work here. We also need to look to other transportation including a possible second ferry on Lake Michigan. Tourism is not only in Door County but oriented to the whole shore of both Lake Michigan and Green Bay.

The environment is key to successful tourism. The Great Lakes Compact and efforts to clean up Lake Michigan are no-brainers. We need better groundwater protection standards. The whole Door Peninsula often has very poor air quality. We do not produce the pollution but it does come our way so any efforts on a statewide basis to reduce emissions will be helpful to tourism. Many in Door County are concerned that wind power will mar the landscape but not having quality air standards is not good for anyone including tourists.

Preservation of open land is equally important to tourism. Unlike the Republican candidate, I fully support the intent and efforts of the Stewardship Fund. My hope is that I can make some efforts to increase the activities of the Land Trust or similar groups in the rest of the district since Kewaunee County also has important land assets in need of similar protection.

Garey Bies

As the owner of a small business dependent on tourism, I am familiar with the importance of tourism in the First Assembly District. I believe that the key to promoting tourism for the First Assembly District has multiple components: supporting the natural attractions that draw visitors; supporting the cultural attractions that draw visitors, and; supporting the businesses that cater to visitors. As a member of both the Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee and Tourism Committee, in addition to my own legislative initiatives, I have been a strong proponent of all of these efforts.

In regards to our region’s natural qualities, I was a strong supporter of the Great Lakes Compact and played a key role in passing the historic legislation. Governor Doyle called on me a number of times to stand with him in urging the legislature to get it done and I did because I believe it was the thing we HAD to do. The vitality of the Great Lakes is so important for the district and passing the Compact was a critical step to protecting them.

I have also been a big supporter of the cultural attractions of this district and have sought assistance from the state where possible. For example, when Door County and the Town of Gibraltar desired to grant the Peninsula Player Theater a property tax exemption, I was able to get legislation passed to do so.

I have also helped local municipalities seeking to enhance their tourism efforts, such as when I authored legislation to create an exemption to state law to allow the Villages of Sister Bay and Ephraim to become Premier Resort Areas. This next budget is not going to be an easy one but I will be working on putting more money in for tourism because the return on dollars spent is so great and the employment it brings cannot be forgotten.

Dick Skare

Tourism has become a tremendous area of growth for Wisconsin. Even with uncertain economic times this season, early reports on the regional tourism economy seem favorable. A legislator from District 1 should be a supporter of statewide programs to market Wisconsin outside the state as well as joint marketing efforts between District 1 and state efforts.

Programs like Travel Green Wisconsin, initiatives to protect the Great Lakes and maintain local fisheries, protecting our local environment, and promotion of the visual and performing arts all need legislative support.

Transportation infrastructure is critical to our area’s economic health. State efforts such as the new four-lane highway to Sturgeon Bay and the new bridge bode well for our future, but the continued maintenance of local roads is also a priority.

County and local efforts at upkeep are as important, yet are restricted by current spending caps. Local roads must be adequately maintained yet caps prevent this. Caps need to be removed so local units of government can adequately address their needs.

As a state legislator, it will be important to support programs which help the small businesses and farms which are the fabric of our local tourism economy. Although not directly a tourism expenditure, reform of health care is of great importance. The uncertainty in our present health care situation is a tremendous drag on our economy. Changing the school funding formula, advocating for the protection of the Great Lakes and our local environment, supporting efforts in sustainable local development and affordable housing initiatives are examples of the needed effort to maintain strong communities.

Visitors to our area want to see our beautiful scenery, the coastline, farmland, villages and towns. I will support programs that will support our vital tourism industry in District 1.