Kerkman challenged for Assembly seat

VoteButtonFlag webBy Jason Arndt
Staff Writer

Of all state level races involving Kenosha County, two are contested, including the 32nd State Assembly District along with the 61st State Assembly District.

For the 61st State Assembly District, Incumbent Samantha Kerkman (R – Salem) faces Democratic challenger Amee Janus (D – Trevor).

The 61st Assembly District, which covers Kenosha County west of Interstate 94, includes parts of the City of Kenosha, Village of Pleasant Prairie and Town of Somers.

In questionnaires sent to both candidates, they were asked to respond to key concerns, including plans if elected, and roles within the community.

Samantha Kerkman (R - Inc.) Lives in: Salem Age: 42 Resident of District: Lifelong. Occupation: Wisconsin State Assembly since 2000. Former Chief of Staff to State Representative Cloyd Porter, staff member of Joint Committee on Finance, 1999-2001 Budget Conference Committee. Education: Wilmot Union High School; Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in criminal justice, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Political experience: In 2015-16 session, serves as Co-Chair of Joint Committee on Audit, Ways and Means, Judiciary and Ethics, Children and Families. Family: Mother of two sons.
Samantha Kerkman (R – Inc.)
Lives in: Salem
Age: 42
Resident of District: Lifelong.
Occupation: Wisconsin State Assembly since 2000. Former Chief of Staff to State Representative Cloyd Porter, staff member of Joint Committee on Finance, 1999-2001 Budget Conference Committee.
Education: Wilmot Union High School; Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in criminal justice, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Political experience: In 2015-16 session, serves as Co-Chair of Joint Committee on Audit, Ways and Means, Judiciary and Ethics, Children and Families.
Family: Mother of two sons.

WHY ARE YOU SEEKING ELECTION/RE-ELECTION?
Kerkman:
Growing up and raising a family in Kenosha County has given me a great understanding the struggles facing my constituents today.

My experience working with local government and business leaders have to help to grow our regional economy grow.

My years of experience and government knowledge have tremendously helped in supporting and aiding these local government officials and leaders, with the multitude of issues that surface.

Janus:
I’m running in this election because I feel that somehow the middle class in America is going in the wrong direction.

I’m running to represent people like myself and all the residents of our district.
People who work hard every day but always feel a sense of uncertainty about their jobs.

The other reason I’m running is to make things better for my kids, our kids, and future generations.

Wisconsin used to have great schools, but that was before the quality of public education was cut by millions.

WHAT IS THE ONE KEY CONCERN FACING RESIDENTS WITHIN THE 61ST DISTRICT, AND HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS IT AT THE STATE LEVEL?
Kerkman:
I spend many hours listening and talking with my constituents, and I believe the most important issue facing Wisconsin and the 61st Assembly District is economic development.

The county is situated between Milwaukee and Chicago and we need to continue to build on the successes.

Amee Janus (D) Lives in: Trevor Age: 42. Resident of District: 14 years. Occupation: Information Technology Consultant Education: Maine Township High School East, 1993; Gateway Technical College, continuing. Political experience: None Family: Married with two children.
Amee Janus (D)
Lives in: Trevor
Age: 42.
Resident of District: 14 years.
Occupation: Information Technology Consultant
Education: Maine Township High School East, 1993; Gateway Technical College, continuing.
Political experience: None
Family: Married with two children.

Over the past 36 months more than 6,000 new family-supporting jobs have been created and more are on the horizon.

Last session, I supported investment in worker training programs that improve skill and connect those seeking work with good paying jobs in our community.

Janus:
Wisconsin roads are now considered the fourth worst in the nation. Our roads, highways, and bridges are underfunded and deteriorating from age and neglect. In our own community, the I-94 corridor has seen a significant increase of commercial truck traffic, contributing to the deterioration of those roads.

We need to work across party lines to determine a remediation plan and a reasonable funding source since we are a billion dollars in the negative in the transportation budget.

NAME THREE OTHER AREAS OF PERSONAL INTEREST, AND WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THESE THREE TOPICS?
Kerkman:
As a mother of two young children I understand the challenges that face many families today.

I worked with a local resident and her daughter to strengthen our privacy laws in Wisconsin (2015 AB 566). The need for the legislation came about when two individuals were charged and convicted after recording thousands of hours of video in two locker rooms in Kenosha County.

The other area of interest is working to eliminate fraud and waste in state government. I authored several bills last session to increase the penalties or make you ineligible for programs if you defraud state government.

One of the biggest disappointments last session was the decision to not approve the casino. I worked tirelessly on this issue with my colleagues, local community leaders, tribal leaders, and members of the Hard Rock management team in support of the casino. Even though the casino is not coming at this time, I’m proud of 6,000 family supporting jobs that Kenosha County has added in the past 36 months. Those who wanted to use the casino facilities can still play all of their favourite casino games, such as poker, roulette, and blackjack, online with the help of sites like https://www.paybyphonebillcasino.uk/. I should add in at this point though, that it is very important that you only use the best casino sites and those which have been reviewed and recommended by many users. To find reviews of the best sites, click here. This is especially important now that casino websites are becoming more popular with the rise of cryptocurrency gambling websites, such as the Bitcoin casino websites that are available. It’s very important to stay vigilant when using these types of websites so you aren’t losing money or being scammed. If you are new to the crypto casino world, you can begin with something less expensive, such as a Dogecoin-based platform. Because gambling is a platform for both winning and losing, even if you lose, you might not have as much regret as those with higher value currency. If you are still skeptical about the Dogecoin casino, you can visit this site, which may help clear up any remaining doubts. Obviously, I will continue to work to expand our business-friendly climate to continue growing our local and state economy.

Janus:
I support raising the minimum wage. It is the surest way to stimulate the economy, enabling people to purchase goods and pay for services with local businesses, and provide additional tax income to our community.

Another priority is education. I will vote to invest in public education, which is the future of our children.

I also believe that our veterans need to be able to have easy access to medical services as needed. I have seen my own late father-in-law, who was a veteran of the Vietnam War, not get the care he needed in a timely fashion.

ASIDE FROM YOUR CURRENT OCCUPATION, WHAT LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ARE YOU PART OF, AND MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT?
Kerkman:
Member of Kenosha County Local Emergency Planning Committee; Involved in Civic organizations Kenosha Area Business Alliance, Kenosha County Farm Bureau, St. Alphonsus Catholic Church – Wheatland, St. John’s Catholic Church – Twin Lakes, Twin Lakes Chamber and Business Association, Republican Party of Kenosha County, American Legion Auxiliary, Twin Lakes Post 544.

Former member of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce, Southeast Wisconsin Council of Boy Scouts of America Advisory Board, Carthage College Advisory Committee for the Division of the Social Sciences.

Janus:
I am the founder of WISE – Wisconsin Initiative Safety Education. It is a grassroots initiative to remind drivers to slow down in neighborhood streets where our children play. I am passionate about all safety of our children and have been an active member of Safe Kids and advocate for pedestrian safety and other children’s preventative safety education.

I am also a member of InfraGard, which is a non-profit partnership between the FBI and the private sector dedicated to sharing information and intelligence to prevent hostile acts against the U.S.


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