Mark Honadel became the firstRepublican representative of the 21st Assembly District in 75 yearswhen he won a special election in 2003 against Al Foeckler. Thedistrict which encompasses Oak Creek, South Milwaukee and two wards ofMilwaukee had long been represented by Democrats Richard Grobschmidtand Jeff Plale, and its voters tend to be fiscally and sociallyconservative.
Small-businessowner Honadel faces a challenge on Nov. 4 from Democrat Glen Brower, aretired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and former director of the Wisconsin State Veterans Home in Union Grove.
Bothcandidates were asked to complete a standard questionnaire for ourreaders. Brower agreed, while Honadel declined, saying that he doesn’tfill out any questionnaires from news organizations or special interestgroups. Instead, we’ve relied on his record in the state Assembly toprovide information about his stand on the major issues facing Wisconsin.
Here’s how the candidates stand on the issues facing the state:
The State’s Economy
Honadel has a 100% voting record with the conservative business lobbying group Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) since being elected, as well as with the conservative Metropolitan Milwaukee Associationof Commerce from 2003-2006. Honadel opposed requiring corporations todisclose some financial information to the public for tax purposes,opposed requiring insurers to cover autism therapy and opposedrequiring utilities and manufacturers to reduce carbon dioxideemissions. Honadel co-sponsored legislation in 2007 to privatizeMitchell International Airport and remove it from county oversight.
Browersupports the American Jobs Act, which provides contract priority toAmerican businesses that keep jobs in the country; a 25% renewableenergy research and development tax credit; and the creation of “greencollar” and 21st-century industries, such as stem cell research.
Health Care
Honadeltold a reporter that he is “against universal health care” and prefersto provide for taxfree health savings accounts. Honadel voted againstrequiring insurers to cover autism therapy.
Brower believes that health care is “a right and not a privilege,” and supports the universal coverage plan dubbed Healthy Wisconsin, introduced in the state Senate last year, or a similar plan. Brower supports autism treatment coverage.
School Choice
Honadelsupported lifting the enrollment cap on the Milwaukee Parental ChoiceProgram. Earlier this year he co-sponsored a bill that would expand theprogram to Milwaukee suburbs without fixing the funding flaw thatpenalizes Milwaukee property taxpayers.
Brower says hesupports “public school choice (aka open enrollment), where parents cansend their child to a public school in another district, but I opposeprivate school choice (aka the voucher system), where taxpayers’ moneyis used to fund private schools.” He cites concerns about theseparation of church and state, the lack of standards in voucherschools, and tax implications as reasons why he opposes the program.
Nuclear Power
Honadel, a member of the Energy and Utilities Committee and the WisconsinLegislative Council Special Committee on Nuclear Power, voted this yearto allow more nuclear power plants to be constructed in the state bylifting the current moratorium on new plant construction.
Browersupports developing nuclear power plants if government oversight ofconstruction and operation is strengthened and if the resulting nuclearwaste is disposed of safely.
Reproductive Rights
Honadel received a qualified endorsement from Wisconsin Right to Life and a full endorsement from Pro-Life Wisconsinfor his total opposition to abortion in any case, including saving thelife of the mother and in cases of rape or incest. In January, he votedagainst requiring emergency rooms to offer emergency contraception tovictims of rape or incest if the woman requests it.
Brower said that heis personally against abortion, but added, “I would vote for the rightof a woman to choose and decide for herself what is the right thing forher to do with her body.” He is concerned that outlawing abortion wouldlead women to “look outside the realm of the law and good healthpractices” when seeking to terminate a pregnancy.
What’s your take? Write: editor@shepex.com or comment on this story online at www.expressmilwaukee.com.
