Two members of the Fitchburg City Council are running in the 47th AD primary for a heavily Dem seat, showing different positions on how surplus state money should be allocated.
Both candidates — Joe Maldonado, D-Fitchburg, and Randy Udell, D-Madison — have served on the Fitchburg City Council since 2020. Maldonado also works in the UW-Madison Division of Extension working to empower youth leadership. Udell is on the Dane County Board of Supervisors.
Maldonado, 41, and Udell, 63, both spoke to WisPolitics about their campaign platforms for the Aug. 13 primary.
The winner of the primary will determine who holds the 47th AD seat because there are no GOP and minor party candidates running. The seat is currently held by Jimmy Anderson, D-Fitchburg, but he is seeking a seat in the state Senate. The 47th AD includes most of the city of Fitchburg, the city of Stoughton and part of the village of McFarland. It is 73% Democratic.
On managing the projected $3 billion in state surplus funds at the end of the 2023-25 budget period, Maldonado said he would like to see that money invested into the Universities of Wisconsin, early childhood and supporting K-12 schools.
“One of the unfortunate byproducts of the Walker administration and beyond is the cuts to our university system and our UW campuses,” Maldonado said. “Many of them have taken huge cuts and have had to lay off staff and reduce programming. I think we have an opportunity to restore that funding.”
Gov. Evers has already pledged an $800 million budget increase for the Universities of Wisconsin in the 2023-25 budget, though it is not from surplus funds.
Maldonado added: “We currently do not invest any money in our biennial budget in after-school and out-of-school-time programming. I think that’s a huge opportunity to match our peer states such as Colorado, Pennsylvania and Michigan.”
Udell, who is a staff member with the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and said he manages their $40 million budget, said he would like to see a mix of tax breaks and spending.
“We have a great education system in Wisconsin, and I’d like to see that continue,” Udell said. “But at the same time, after having been on the Fitchburg City Council, property tax relief is necessary. When I was on the council last year, the governor increased the shared revenue. I’d like to see some additional shared revenue, and I think with a more balanced legislative body, we can accomplish that. We can accomplish both.”
Neither Maldonado nor Udell support GOP efforts to reduce or eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion positions in the University of Wisconsin system.
“DEI is very important to every one of us,” Udell said. “And as a member of the LGBTQ community, I fully understand diversity, equity, and I have a long history of lived experience and in no way would I agree to eliminate it altogether.”
Maldonado, a former employee of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement at UW, said these positions are critical in ensuring student success and student belonging.
Maldonado said. “In state government, [DEI positions are critical in] ensuring that our employees as well as constituents feel seen, heard and included and have access to life sustaining jobs and high quality work experience.”
He added: “I understand the rationale behind it to ensure funding for facilities on campus and other resources. However, it was a compromise that I don’t think that we should have that the Regents should not have agreed to.”
In addition:
- Neither candidate supported the GOP led effort to bar transgender athletes from women’s sports.
- Both candidates would prefer to eliminate Wisconsin’s ban on abortion after 20 weeks.
- Both candidates support full marijuana legalization.
This is a continuation of a series of WisPolitics interviews with Assembly primary candidates.
