Rep. Jeskewitz reiterates position on elected boards

While debate about electing technical college district boards has been prevelant in the media and in political circles, Representative Sue Jeskewitz has not budged on her stand that electing boards is not a good option.

“I sincerely believe it is taxation without representation but I just don’t feel there’s any better way to get representation for boards than we do now,” she told the Wisconsin Technical College System Board at their meeting January 24. “I will not come out in support of elected boards at this point,” she said.

Jeskewitz, (R-Menomonee Falls), said she can’t imagine an individual running for a technical college district board and having to campaign over an eight or nine county area for a position that does not pay. “We’ve gone over it and over it in the [Technical College System] task force.” She said if someone can come up with a better plan than the current system of electing boards, she’ll work with them.

Currently, local elected officials, either county board chairs or school board presidents, appoint district board members. Each board is required by statute to have two local employers, two employees, a K-12 school district administrator, an elected state or local official, and three additional district residents.

Assembly Bill 603, which would mandate the election of district board members who are currently appointed by local elected officials, remains in the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee. At this time, it appears unlikely that the committee will take executive action on the bill this legislative session. Meanwhile, State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) has publicly stated she will be introducing a bill that would require all boards with taxing authority in Wisconsin be elected. Senate Republicans have included this proposal as one of their priorities for the spring 2006 session.

Jeskewitz, who was named co-chair of the task force when Assembly Speaker John Gard (R-Peshtigo) created it in 2003, said she would like to see the Task Force continue because it serves as a “watch dog” over the technical colleges.