Milwaukee County Supervisor Jim “Luigi” Schmitt and Barbara Schumacher are vying to represent District 6 on the Milwaukee County board. The general election will be held on Tuesday, April 3. (Not sure you live in District 6? Verify your voter registration and district in the <a href=\"https://vpa.wi.gov/\" target=\"_blank\">Voter Public Access</a> database.)<br /><br />Schmitt and Schumacher responded to the Shepherd's candidate questionnaire. Here are their answers:<br /><br /><strong>JIM “LUIGI” SCHMITT</strong><br /><br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>Tell us a bit about your background to introduce yourself to the Shepherd readers.<br /><br /><strong>Schmitt: </strong>Before running for elected office over a decade ago I was a teacher, administrator, and coach at Marquette University High School in Milwaukee for over 28 years. I have undergraduate and graduate degrees in political science. I have always had an interest in how our government works and in community service. While not always easy, I have enjoyed the opportunity to listen and respond to the needs and concerns of my constituents. <br /><br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>Where are you currently employed?<br /><strong><br />Schmitt:</strong> I am the Milwaukee County Supervisor from the 19th District. <br /><br /><strong>Shepherd:</strong> Why are you running for office?<br /><br /><strong>Schmitt: </strong>I have been an active and effective supervisor for my district and I want to continue to represent my constituents and the ideas and issues they bring to my office. <br /><br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>What are the top three issues that you want to address?<br /><br /><strong>Schmitt: </strong>1. Mental health issues involving the transformation of how the county and private sector deliver these services to those who need it. 2. Major issues on the Milwaukee County Grounds: UWM Innovation Park and Monarch Trail, Zoo Interchange issues. The entire Milwaukee County Grounds is in my supervisory district. 3. Power transmission lines that are proposed to run through my district\'s neighborhoods and the Milwaukee County Grounds.<br /><br /><strong>Shepherd:</strong> How would you deal with them?<br /><br /><strong>Schmitt: </strong>I would deal with these issues the same way I always have; study the issues and work with all interested parties and my colleagues to pass any and all resolutions needed in these areas.<br /><br /><strong>Shepherd:</strong> How would you make Milwaukee Countyand specifically, this districtmore attractive to businesses and residents?<br /><br /><strong>Schmitt: </strong>I would keep the quality of services and quality of life issues in the forefront of my priorities while keeping taxes as low and reasonable as possible.<br /><br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>How would you boost revenues and/or cut spending?<br /><br /><strong>Schmitt: </strong>I would work hard on the real possibilities of new economic development and thus more jobs to Milwaukee County. I believe there is more savings in the sharing of some services between different levels of government. I will not vote for any new services that are not fully funded by our state shared revenue.<br /><br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>What are your views of Gov. Walker's changes to collective bargaining, specifically their effect on county employees and the county's budget? Have the changes helped or hurt local governments? Should public safety employees have been included in all of the changes?<br /><br /><strong>Schmitt: </strong>We on the Milwaukee County Board were not able to take advantage of all the "tools" in Governor Walker\'s state budget since we had already passed budgets that had elected officials and county employees pay substantially more for health care and pension benefits. Public safety employees should have been included in all of the changes. <br /><br /><strong>Shepherd:</strong> What sets you apart from your opponent?<br /><br /><strong>Schmitt:</strong> My experience, knowledge, and effectiveness in working with people and many complex intergovernmental issues, particularly regarding the Milwaukee County Grounds, sets me apart from my opponent.<br /><strong><br />Shepherd: </strong>Who has endorsed you?<br /><strong><br />Schmitt: </strong>The Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals.; many elected officials and community leaders at the county and local level.<br /><br /><strong>BARBARA SCHUMACHER</strong><br /><br /><strong>Website: </strong><a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/barbschu\" target=\"_blank\">www.facebook.com/barbschu</a><br /><strong><br />Shepherd: </strong>Tell me a bit about your background to introduce yourself to the Shepherd readers.<br /><strong><br />Schumacher: </strong>I owned a small retail business for over 15 years, sold it in 2011. Have an Executive MBA from UW-Milwaukee and an undergraduate degree in business from UW-Oshkosh. I have worked in health care administration, private industry and the state government job corps. I have been a homeowner in Wauwatosa since 2003, a home owner in Milwaukee County since 1992, and a Milwaukee County resident since 1989.<br /> <br />My personal time is spent giving back to the community as a volunteer, including a dozen Summerfests, three Irish Fests, 13 years at the Kettle Moraine Jazz fest as volunteer coordinator, eight years on Board of Volunteer Center of Washington County, including president, and 15 years as a Rotarian.<br /><strong><br />Shepherd: </strong>Where are you currently employed?<br /><br /><strong>Schumacher:</strong> I am employed as a travel consultant.<br /><br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>Why are you running for office? <br /><br /><strong>Schumacher: </strong>I am ready to put my business skills to work for the residents of District 6 and bring real-life current experience to government from the private sector. I am ready to give my time to public service.<br /><br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>What are the top three issues that you want to address?<br /><br /><strong>Schumacher: </strong>1. Expanding collaborative services between municipalities and Milwaukee County. 2. Making county government accessible to all residents. 3. Ensuring that the county transit system is safe and user-friendly. <br /><br /><strong>Shepherd:</strong> How would you deal with them?<br /><strong><br />Schumacher: </strong>1. Begin to reestablish trust between village and town leaders within the county and the County Board. This opens the door for potentially more shared revenues for county core services. 2. Regular and published town hall meetings and office hours for supervisors. 3. Work with County Sheriff\'s department to analysis cost-effective security measures and then work to change the perception of the county transit system.<br /><strong><br />Shepherd:</strong> How would you make Milwaukee County attractive to businesses and residents?<br /><strong><br />Schumacher: </strong>For District 6 residents, focus on quality of life issues and promote those things that makes District 6 attractive to residents, i.e., parks, schools.<br /><br />Work with incoming Wauwatosa mayor and other nearby mayors to continue to find ways to bring businesses into the area without giving away tax revenues in the form of incentives and streamline the process to eliminate unnecessary red tape for businesses that want to move into the district.<br /> <br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>How would you boost revenues and/or cut spending?<br /><br /><strong>Schumacher:</strong> Explore shared revenues with municipalities, promote growth of Mitchell airport for additional revenues.<br /> <br /><strong>Shepherd:</strong> What are your views of Gov. Walker's changes to collective bargaining, specifically their effect on county employees and the county's budget? Have the changes helped or hurt local governments? Should public safety employees have been included in all of the changes?<br /><br /><strong>Schumacher: </strong>It's important to be fiscally responsible and get the budget under control. The swiftness used by Gov. Walker will have long-term impacts on the state and county. It seems too early to tell if these changes have hurt or helped. In the short time, local government has been able to save. In the long run, the turmoil surrounding a recall election can\'t be measured, as yet. For example, school boards don\'t know what to do: do they make changes now and then if the recall election is successful and the policies reversed, change again? Policies should be administered consistently to all.<br /><strong> <br />Shepherd: </strong>What sets you apart from your opponent? <br /><br /><strong>Schumacher: </strong>I would bring a fresh outlook to county government through my business experience and be available to my constituents on a regular basis through published town hall meetings and published office hours.<br /> <br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>Who has endorsed you?<br /><br /><strong>Schumacher: </strong>I have chosen not to be endorsed by any organization. I want to remain an independent in this nonpartisan race. <br />
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