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The economy, border disputes, transportation, energy and local control seemed to be on the minds of local town officials as they quizzed candidates for state legislative offices at a forum held by the Wisconsin Towns Association last Thursday evening in Marvin Gardens Park in the town of Onalaska.

The distinctions between candidates became evident as the candidates introduced themselves and their priorities. Sen. Dan Kapanke, R-Campbell, described his seven-year battle — as chairman of the town of Campbell — with the city of La Crosse as the impetus for his introduction in the Senate of what’s known as the Charter Town Bill.

That bill, which Kapanke co-authored and which died in the Senate in March 2008, would have given certain towns the authority to establish themselves as a charter town. The bill would allow charter towns to establish tax-increment financing districts, allow the charter town board to exercise certain zoning powers and exempt the towns from being subject to certain city and village extraterritorial powers.

“People don’t want to put down roots where they don’t know what city they’ll belong to,” Kapanke said. “These border disputes take time and money. When a new development starts we have no idea who is going to provide sewer and water. We have to eliminate these border and boundary disputes.”

In addition to hammering on the need for the charter town bill, Kapanke said the agricultural economy is his top priority. “It’s a $52 billion industry, our largest. We have to grow it,” he said.

He cited the Wild Rose Dairy Farm in La Farge as being a very progressive facility with a 900-plus cow herd. The animal waste from the herd produces enough electricity for 600 homes.

Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, hit on economic and energy independence. He emphasized his resolve in not allowing increases in taxes in the budget, allowing bills that created tax cuts and getting bills passed that provided for tax credits. “It is important to drive the economy forward,” Huebsch said. “Wisconsin is in a slow period right now, but we will lead the upper Midwest toward strong economic standing.”

He called for energy diversity, including clean coal, nuclear and natural gas. He said the wind bill that was proposed “wasn’t ready,” but did not go into specifics as to why he would not bring it to the floor of the Assembly.

Huebsch said roads and transportation infrastructure are the biggest challenge for the near future.

Senate candidate Tara Johnson, a Democrat from the town of Shelby who is challenging Kapanke, described her philosophy of governing with an emphasis on building coalitions. She voiced pride in four coalition efforts she was involved in as a La Crosse County Board supervisor: the coalition in West Salem to bring the Lakeview Business Park to fruition, lowering La Crosse County tax rates, saving more than 240 jobs at the Lakeview Health Care Center and creating the Household Hazardous Waste program.

State Rep. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, said she was doing her part to build the economy and the population by bringing another child into the world. Six months pregnant, Shilling said her top concern is the budget, adding that funding for fixing the state’s aging bridges and dams is a high priority.

Shilling told the leaders to “be careful where you step in the Capitol. There’s probably going to be a lot of manure and we could generate a lot of wind.”

Cheryl Hancock, a Democrat from Holmen who is challenging Huebsch, emphasized her belief in the importance of local control. “When I go to Madison I’m going to focus on the basics,” she said. “I will meet regularly with you and have an open dialogue with you about legislative proposals. I want to put a stop to raiding the transportation fund so they can stop saying they didn’t raise taxes. I want to turn local control back to you.”

In the question and answer period, Shelby Town Chairwoman Lynetta Kopp asked about the prospects of a charter town bill ever getting through the Legislature.

Without elaborating on specifics, both Shilling and Huebsch said they have not supported it and it needed more work.

“I will try to do my part,” Shilling said. “I have not supported it and until there is something in it for everyone, then I’ll probably not (support it) for the foreseeable future. There’s room for compromise, but it’s the usual suspects who don’t want to compromise.”

Huebsch agreed, saying the bill has been introduced many times in the past and never makes it anywhere.

“The cities don’t want it,” he said. “The towns do. The rift between the rural areas and urban areas is bigger than between Democrats and Republicans. It’s going to require compromise and if not, then I don’t see it happening.”

Johnson said if she could find ways to build coalitions to get the job done, it should work. “But I don’t see it being a high priority; there’s just a mess of stuff to do.”