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Candidates
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Danou says corporations aren't paying their fair share By Brady Bautch, RiverTown Staff Writer
Corporations aren't paying their fair share is one of the messages Chris Danou is carrying in his campaign for the 31st Wisconsin State Senate seat.
Danou believes that tax incentives aren't the real reason companies decide where to move, rather it is a number of factors like a quality workforce that are the key and that tax incentives are further down the list.
"Businesses look at total occupancy costs," said Danou, who currently works as a police officer for the Onalaska Police Department.
When asked about the tax incentives that brought the expansion of three companies in Arcadia and the addition of up to 1,300 jobs to the area, he said they should only be used in certain instances.
"If you are going to do that (use tax incentives) the companies should sign an agreement that they are going to stay here," Danou said.
Danou earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also has a master's degree in international affairs from American University and a master's in wildlife biology from UW-Stevens Point.
He believes that the UW should cap its tuition, but that the state needs to do its part in funding the UW.
"The UW has a role to play in solving state problems," Danou said.
He also believes that the state should take over the health care system and provide a universal plan such as Canada's which uses a progressive tax system.
"The government is much more efficient than private industry," Danou said. "Health care is a public good."
He acknowledged that there are problems with state-run operations like the $26 million lost by the UW System in the failed human resources software program.
"Any big bureaucracy has to be watched," said Danou.
According to Danou, the best way to fix the state's K-12 funding problems is to start over.
"We need to look at funding formulas and start over," Danou said. "The current system supports the southeast corner of the state and doesn't favor small district and rural areas of the state."
Another looming problem facing the state will be funding transportation projects. A recent Legislative Fiscal Bureau report stated that the state doesn't have the resources to make the needed upgrades in the state's transportation system.
"Boy that's a tough one," said Danou regarding how to fix the transportation problem.
Danou said that the United States should've followed the European model and built compact communities with nearby farms so that foodstuffs would not have to be transported far.
He also believes the state should concentrate more on rail and build roads more intelligently.
"We are putting in too many four-lane highways instead of using smart two-lane roads," Danou said.
He described smart two-lane roads as those that expand to four lanes only when necessary such as up steep grades or at turning points.
The Trempealeau resident said he is a better choice than Kathleen Vinehout, the other Democrat running for the 31st seat, because he says she is a lobbyist and part of the system.
"She's part of the system that needs to be changed," Danou said.
He added that she's also only a one-topic candidate.
"She's only talking about health care," Danou said. "I worry that she's going to be too focused on one area and lose sight of others."
Danou's campaign Web site can be reached at www.chrisdanou.com.
Brady Bautch is the Internet Publisher for the RiverTown Newspaper Group. He can be contacted at internet@rivertowns.net
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"We have to take a look at corporate income taxes," said Danou. "The portion paid by large out-of-state companies is shrinking while private taxes are going up."
