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Dear Editor:
During the 2018 election season, one of the most pressing issues was water quality. Speaker Vos commissioned a Water Quality Task Force in early 2019 after a study in southwest Wisconsin came back indicating that 42% of wells were too contaminated with nitrates and bacteria to be safe for drinking. Todd Novak, our 51st District Assemblyperson was appointed Chair of the Task Force. Multiple listening sessions were conducted around the State, many of which were attended by Representatives, Travis Tranel of the 49th, and Tony Kurtz of the 50th.
The promise was that the Task Force would compile information, compose a report, and address the issues brought to them by citizens: issues like contaminated wells and resulting health problems, issues like contaminated waterways with resulting wildlife kills, issues like non-point source contamination from agricultural run-off. Issues like long-lasting damage to our ecosystem. Promises, promises, promises during the 2018 election year - we will listen, and we will act - and then nothing. No positive action, not a single recommendation from the Task Force adopted by the Legislature. In fact, there was only negative action, because most of the Task Force recommendations were in Gov. Evers budget which the Vos-led Republican dominated Legislature voted down.
Now, in the 2020 election season, what will Representatives Novak, Kurtz, and Tranel promise us in order to get reelected? Fool us once, shame on them, fool us twice, shame on us. The issues of water quality will not go away, but Representatives Novak, Kurtz, and Tranel should. We can make that happen in November.

Beverly Pestel
Richland Center