Candidate Profile: Neal Plotkin For State Senate District 8

Neal Plotkin, a Glendale, Wisconsin resident is running for State Senate District 8.

Age: 66
Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Family:wife Nancy, children Matthew, Jana and Jessica
Occupation:25 years as an owner of a small business, 3 years as a Wisconsin licensed substitute teacher.
Previous elected experience:none
Family members in government:none
Campaign website: www.plotkinforsenate.com

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
Fair Maps. Wisconsin legislative districts will be drawn following the 2020 elections. Wisconsin, and this district in particular, are among the most gerrymandered nationwide. Citizens deserve to have fair representation, to have their votes count equally. Voters should choose their representatives . Representatives should not choose their voters. I am committed to work with all to create maps that are fair and equitable.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I will be a representative who listens to voters - not talks at them. The legislature did not measure up to their responsibilities to citizens in this session. In 2019, they passed 29 bills versus 300 in a typical year. They simply gaveled in and gaveled out. Ignoring Medicaid/Badger Care expansion during the worst pandemic health crisis in our lifetime. My opponent made Wisconsin's response to the Covid-19 crisis political instead of science and medical based.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
I owned and ran a small sales agency for 25 years. We made a profit every year, including during the crash of 2008. We paid bonuses and covered medical expenses for our employees, and competed successfully with our bigger competitors during my career. Our suppliers were always paid on time, and our tax bills and assessments too. Afterwards, I spent three years substitute teaching, primarily at Nicolet, experiencing first-hand what we need to do to be ready for everyone's future.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?
My wife Nancy has been an actively employed full-time RN for nearly 40 years.

We must stop playing politics and follow the science and medicine. The pandemic does not follow a set schedule like a baseball season. It follows itself. The politics that have been thrown in by my opponent have risked the health and lives of our constituents. Treating this is not easy. Ignoring this is deadly.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?
As a nation and society, we must always re-evaluate our objectives and goals. First off, we need to recognize that our lives do not matter unless Black Lives Matter. We must recognize and respond to the historical racism that has been a part of our society - socially, educationally and economically. And repair this.

Policing, like all governing services must constantly be changed and re-examined.
It is a necessary and critical element of our society - so it is even that much more important to re-examine and adjust on an ongoing basis. Supporting our police and making certain all of our peoples are treated justly.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:
Delivering fair and equitable tax support for Wisconsin's public schools and returning the funding that has been gutted from public education in the past 10 years.

Addressing the massive neglect of Wisconsin's infrastructure, roads and bridges that have made them dangerous for our citizens.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
In 2012 and 2016, my opponent ran unopposed for re-election. In part due to the gerrymandered borders. Demographic changes have made this district more equitable. Voters in Wisconsin SD-8 now have a voice and a choice. I will ask voters three questions:

What needs to be changed?

What needs to be done?

How can WE improve Wisconsin?

Thank You. Neal Plotkin