Vos Holds First Listening Session Since Redistricting

Speaker Robin Vos' first listening session in the new 63rd Assembly District drew a small crowd of about 25 residents from both sides of the aisle.

Vos, R-Burlington, visited Mount Pleasant Village Hall, 8811 Campus Drive, Monday. Scheduled to last an hour, Vos stayed an extra half hour to continue the conversations sparked by questions from constituents.

Topics jumped all over the map from vouchers to to public transportation and expanding mental health services.

The case for vouchers

Vos said he thinks public education does a great job for the majority of kids, but vouchers give parents another choice for when the public schools can't meet a child's needs.

But Vos' former high school teacher, Tim Mocarski, challenged Vos by telling him private school has traditionally been a choice for families who understand the costs involved. 

"I went to private school as a kid, and my family understood it was a choice they were willing to pay for," he said. "I don't see how you can support public money for private schools. If that's a parents' choice, then let them pay for it."

Vos countered that he cares more about results than how the road to get there.

"As conservatives, we want people responsible for themselves and to not rely on government," he said. "But for some, public schools aren't working. If you care about results you have to look at options."

There was also talk about whether or not voucher schools are really better than public schools as evidenced by the recent test scores released by the state Department of Public Instruction.

Vos noted the new testing model being introduced in Spring 2014 that students statewide, including voucher students, will be required to take. Whether or not that means all students at choice schools and not just those accepting vouchers is unanswered at this point, but Vos promised Patch he would have a staffer find out and get back to us.

Public transportation means connecting to jobs

When it comes to public transportation, City of Racine Parking and Transit Systems Manager Al Stanek said if state leaders are serious about getting people back to work, they'll restore funding for mass transit.

"I'm appalled at the $1 billion in borrowing for roads when levy limits and reduced road aids have such a serious negative impact on jobs, the unemployed and the underemployed," he said.

The 10 percent reduction in service to the Belle Urban System, Stanek added, means some Racine residents have lost their jobs because they can't get to work.

"If the focus is jobs, then we need the transit," he continued.

Vos said he was fine with putting more money into transit as long as that money was used only for increasing service and not paying for the salaries and benefits of employees.

"I support mass transit and agree we need a plan for the long haul," he said.

Expanding mental health funding

Several residents thanked Vos for helping increasing funding for mental health services. Vos has asked Rep. Erik Severson, R-Osceola, and Rep. Sandy Pasch, D-Shorewood, to chair a task force on mental health to address the unique needs of persons with a mental illness.

"What makes mental illness so challenging is that unlike something like cancer, there is no cure, there is no light at the end of the tunnel," Vos said. "Mental illness means lifelong treatment, and we'll save lives through better healthcare."

Severson was an emergency room doctor and Pasch was a mental health nurse.

Vos said he is relying on their experience for a package this fall on which the Legislature can act that includes better programs for both awareness and decreasing the stigma still attached to mental illness.