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Dear Editor;
I support Kriss in her race against Todd Novak for Assembly District 51.
Kriss has been a consistent advocate for clean water. She has demonstrated her commitment to working with area farmers to solve our ground-water problems on a positive, consensual basis.
When Republicans in Lafayette County tried to hide the Southwest Wisconsin Groundwater Study from the public-presumably because it made their policies look bad-Kriss went to her constituents and successfully advocated for its release as a public record. That effort resulted in her receiving a state-wide award for championing open government.
Kriss' stellar record is in sharp contrast to Mr. Novak's. He has dutifully followed his Assembly leader Robin Vos in dismantling our state's environmental protections and passing every bill brought before them that favors polluters over clean water. Environmental organizations have consistently given Mr. Novak failing grades for his anti-environmental record.
With demand for improved water quality growing in the state and Mr. Novak in a tight race, his mentor Robin Vos sought to deflect the criticism Mr. Novak faced for his poor environmental record by creating a Water Quality Task Force and appointed Mr. Novak to be its Chair. It was an election gimmick.
Here is how the non-partisan, non-profit group known as the league of "Wisconsin's Conservation Voters" characterized Novak's performance:
"As the Task Force, led by Dodgeville Rep. Todd Novak, held a series of listening sessions across the state, the promise [of the Task Force] began quickly fading .... After taking hours of testimony, the Task Force came up with 13 bills, none of which addressed the root causes of pollution or were taken up by the Republican[s]. In short, the taskforce was a PR stunt with no ideas or plans. "IN SHORT, THE TASK FORCE WAS A PR STUNT WITH NO NEW IDEAS OR PLANS."
It's time to clean up these messes. We deserve clean water and clean government. Vote for change.
Patti Finley, Dodgeville WI
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