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Candidates
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Incumbent Rhoades seeks fifth term By Debbie Griffin, RiverTown Staff Writer
Assemblywoman Kitty Rhoades squares off against a Democratic opponent who just graduated from her alma mater, UW-River Falls. She said she’s met Dan Gorman once and told him she knows that no matter what the election results, running for office is an incredible learning experience.
She said she never set out to get into politics. Life just led her to it. People who’d seen her in action with the
Hudson Chamber of Commerce and other organizations suggested she run for the state Assembly.
She pondered the possibility, not really knowing if she should do it.
She laughs, “One day my son said, ‘How hard could it be?’”
That was four terms ago.
Life out west
Rhoades has been sitting on the powerful Joint Finance Committee, responsible for forming the state budget, for two terms. She understands the processes well now and likes seeing money put toward education and medical resources.
“I got the hang of it now,” Rhoades said. “It took me two terms to learn the cycle well.”
The assemblywoman said representatives fill out a form asking what committees they’re interested in joining. She listed Joint Finance Committee on all of the form’s five blanks.
Involved in all facets of government through that role, she said she’s constantly learning about things like the medical industry.
Rhoades concentrates on getting other representatives into this part of the state as often as possible. She wants other state representatives to “see who we are.”
“We have unique challenges in our part of the state,” said Rhoades.
Rhoades coined the word “Winnesota” when she argued with then-Gov. Tommy Thompson and says the name stuck like Super Glue. In a word, it represents the unusual nature of District 30, far from Madison or any other major Wisconsin city, and practically considered a Twin Cities suburb.
She realizes the struggle to balance needs of people who have been here all their lives and have strong ideas about how life should be and the people who come to the area as a result of rapid growth and Twin Cities expansion.
Rhoades uses school districts as one example. In Pierce and St. Croix counties, there are only a handful of major school districts. People say they want small school districts, unlike some counterparts west of the river, but Rhoades said those small districts come with a high price tag.
Key issues
Rhoades supports levy limits, saying they make most sense when talking about reigning in property taxes.
She said legislators can freeze mill rates or assessed value but not both, leaving a door open for the other to increase. Recounting that mill rate times assessed value equals levy amount, she said levy limits remain the best way to hold down taxpayer costs.
When Rhoades goes door to door, she said taxes top the list of people’s concerns. Numbers two and three may change, but taxes are always No. 1.
At the heart of the issue is people’s ability to pay, according to Rhoades. She has a friend who started having to make tax-payment installments on a paid-off home because property taxes went up following a high assessment.
She said levy limits started as a tax freeze designed to buy time for formulating funding strategies.
Rhoades voted yes to let voters decide whether to amend the state constitution to define marriage. She said the constitution already says it’s between a man and a woman, but the courts say the definition is ambiguous and should be clarified. She also said the courts shouldn’t legislate.
“If people’s opinion about the constitution has changed, the vote will reflect it,” Rhoades said.
The assemblywoman said the issue’s already been debated in the Legislature for years. It first came up in 2002, but she said it can easily take up to four years to get that issue in front of voters.
“Putting it to referendum is a good thing,” she said.
Rhoades said it’s also good for the people to advise legislators about re-enacting the death penalty via the advisory referendum voters will see in November. No action will come of it, but the people’s vote will tell how they feel.
She said it’s important to note the question’s language, which appears in Senate Joint Resolution 5 this way: “Should the death penalty be enacted in the State of Wisconsin for cases involving a person who is convicted of multiple first-degree intentional homicides, if the homicides are vicious and the convictions are supported by DNA evidence?”
Rhoades said, “It has to do with DNA evidence and premeditation…For people like Timothy McVeigh (Oklahoma City bomber), we’re dealing with a different kind of criminal.”
Reflecting, looking ahead
Rhoades said she’s been flattered to have the opportunity to serve, but that her biggest joy comes from her family.
“That is the high point. I’m grateful my family tolerates it,” she said about being an assemblywoman with a challenging schedule.
She said people seem to think it’s all bickering between partisan parties in the state capitol, but that’s really not the case. According to Rhoades, most things go through with bipartisan cooperation to the tune of 80 people out of 99 voting alike.
“In a non-election year, that would be considered a success,” she said.
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“It’s good to see young people engaging themselves,” Rhoades said about her challenger.
