Ben Gruber
Conservation warden
Democrat
Town of Arena
Elected Experience
None
Q&A with the Candidate
Why should voters elect you?
I’ve been serving my community for over 20 years; as an EMT, a firefighter, a police officer and conservation warden. I’ve been in homes across every corner of this district, and I see how hard people are working to make ends meet. I’ve seen that our elderly neighbors sometimes don’t have food in the fridge for tomorrow, and I’ve seen the teacher working the second shift at the gas station to pay for her daughter’s insulin. As a local leader, I know that it is time for new leadership that cares about working-class issues and will fight for our rural communities. I’ll fight to lower costs and stand up for our rural communities that have been left behind. I’ll stand up and fight for us.
What is the top issue in your district? How would you address it?
We must fix public school funding. The GOP controlled-legislature has voted to take our money from public schools and funnel it to unaccountable private schools, leading to the closure of several of our rural public schools. As a result, we are constantly asked to raise our own property taxes just to keep the lights on at our local public school. We have to fulfill the state’s constitutional obligation to fund public schools and special education; and we must stop giving public money to private schools and end the cycle of property tax referendums to fund school operating costs.
How should Wisconsin government operate differently than in the past?
Wisconsin government should operate differently by prioritizing our communities and working families, instead of the current prioritization of corporate welfare and pandering to the billionaire class. I’ve heard countless stories from our neighbors across this district who can’t get ahead no matter how hard they work, while politicians in Madison are playing political games and enriching their donors. Supporting working people around the state should not be partisan. It’s time to rebuild and restore a state government that serves our communities and the workers, small businesses and farms that keep this state running.
What is your favorite fun Wisconsin history fact?
Conservation is deeply rooted in Wisconsin’s history. In the 1970s there was no wild turkey population in Wisconsin since their extirpation in the late 1800s. The Wisconsin DNR traded some ruffed grouse to Missouri for some of their wild turkey and in 1976 released 39 wild turkeys in the Driftless Area of SW Wisconsin. Today, WI hunters harvest around 50,000 turkeys annually. While the DNR has been stripped of scientists who make projects like this possible, I’m running to bring that conservation spirit back to Wisconsin.