La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

UW-La Crosse political science professor Dr. Anthony Chergosky in studio breaking down the Wisconsin governor’s debate between David Crowley and Tom Tiffany and the 3rd U.S. House District debate between Rebecca Cooke and Derrick Van Orden. 

Which candidates helped themselves, which had awkward moments, and what did we learn about their positions on taxes, spending, guns and the 2020 election?

 Chergosky also explains why the governor’s debate may have left voters wanting another round.

Before that, though, we got into a growing concern for elected officials: threats against their safety and their families. 

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway says the threats have become a factor in her decision not to seek reelection. Van Orden has described death threats that led him to move his home. How widespread is the problem, and what can be done to hold people accountable without making things worse?

We started the show with WIZM’s Brad Williams to talk about La Crosse Public Schools potential lawsuit against social media companies over claims their platforms are designed to be addictive. Williams also shares what he’s seeing on the campaign trail, with candidates and high-profile political figures making stops every day in the Coulee Region.

Topic highlights:

• The governor’s debate: Why Chergosky thinks another debate — or a different format — could give voters a better look at Crowley and Tiffany.
• Crowley and the Democratic Socialists: Why Crowley struggled when asked which parts of Francesca Hong’s Democratic Socialist agenda he supports.
• Tiffany and the 2020 election: How his explanation involving Zuckerberg-funded election grants compares with the reasons he gave at the time for challenging the election results.
• Taxes and spending: Both candidates promise to fund Wisconsin’s priorities. Chergosky examines the unanswered questions about how they would make the numbers work.
• Cooke’s position on assault rifles: Why her debate answer stood out and prompted a response from Van Orden’s campaign.
• Van Orden’s answer on government: What his comments about becoming more disgusted with the federal government reveal about the challenges of getting legislation passed.
• Threats against elected officials: Why Rhodes-Conway says she won’t seek another term, Van Orden’s account of threats against his family, and the difficult question of how to hold perpetrators accountable.
• La Crosse Schools and social media: Brad Williams explains the potential lawsuit and the legal argument that social media companies designed addictive platforms.
• Williams on the campaign trail: Williams recounts a busy week of campaign appearances, including visits from members of the Trump administration and candidates running for statewide office.

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Wisconsin could bring in tens of millions of dollars a year from recreational marijuana, an issue dividing the two candidates for governor.

Adam Hoffer, director of excise tax policy at the Tax Foundation, was in studio to discuss the potential state revenue, how Wisconsin's gas tax compares with neighboring states, and what drivers would gain — and lose — if the tax were suspended.

Hoffer also weighs in on the debate over city taxes and spending with La Crosse facing a budget shortfall and the choices facing city leaders.

Plus, we look at the Brewers' $500 million stadium deal, why sports teams use the threat of relocation to seek public money, and how stadium developments can make money for team owners beyond the games themselves.

Hoffer also updates us on his quest to walk every road in the city, how many miles he's covered, and what he's observed along the way.

Conversation highlights:

• Marijuana money: How much Wisconsin could collect from recreational marijuana, and why the final number depends on the tax rate and what gets legalized.

• Gas tax holiday: Wisconsin's 32.9-cent-per-gallon tax and what happens to roads and bridges if it were suspended. .

• The gas-price markup: Wisconsin's 9% minimum markup law and a proposal to suspend it to bring down prices at the pump.

• The Brewers and public money: Whether taxpayers got a fair deal on the stadium funding package, why teams threaten to leave, and how surrounding real estate developments can create another revenue stream for owners.

• La Crosse taxes: Hoffer's take on the city raising property taxes, as La Crosse faces a $681,000 2027 budget shortfall.

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Derrick Van Orden and Rebecca Cooke finally debated.

Did voters get the debate they deserved? It's the first one in the district for Van Orden since 2019.

William Garcia, Democratic Party chair of Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, stopped in studio to break down the matchup — from Van Orden’s attacks on Cooke to the fight over health care subsidies.

We also get into Wisconsin’s governor’s race, the state’s school funding problems and the money pouring into Republican Tom Tiffany’s campaign. 

Garcia argues that Wisconsin needs a new approach to funding public schools, while we look at how a campaign finance loophole has allowed three billionaires to funnel tens of millions of dollars toward Tiffany’s run for governor and other Republicans.

In this show:

• The Cooke-Van Orden debate: Why the first debate between the candidates came with so little promotion, why Garcia wanted more debates and how he viewed their approaches to policy and personal attacks.

• Van Orden’s health care vote: Garcia challenges Van Orden’s claim that he supported restoring Obamacare subsidies and explains the parliamentary maneuvering behind the vote.

• Public school funding: Wisconsin’s two-thirds funding standard, declining state aid and David Crowley’s push to redesign the school funding formula.

• Tiffany’s tax-cut plans: Who stands to benefit from the Republican governor candidate’s proposals — and what Wisconsin should do with its budget surplus.

• Billionaire campaign cash: How a campaign finance loophole helped funnel tens of millions of dollars from three billionaires through the Republican Party to Tom Tiffany.

• The data center debate: Why Garcia says Tiffany’s congressional voting record conflicts with his current position on data centers, and whether Wisconsin needs a statewide approach.

• The cost of politics: How big-money campaign spending shapes elections and why Garcia says campaign finance reform requires Democrats to win more seats.

• A legislator’s job: We also talk about what elected officials should be doing when the Legislature is out of session — and why public access to candidates matters.

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Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, Jason and Chucky — we all know the names.

So who's next?

Jon Gelatt, co-owner of the Rivoli Theatre, in studio talking about the slashers, whether we're making new ones or just living off the life of Freddy Krueger — and the deaths of everyone he kills.

We also preview the fifth annual Schlocktoberfest, which expands to three days this year, with a Friday-night kickoff, Saturday's five-movie horror marathon and a Sunday collection of short films. Saturday's finale is a surprise but Gelatt reveals a few hints. You'll never guess the movie.

In this interview:

• Freddy's got competition?: Are horror movies creating the next generation of iconic slashers, or are we stuck with the same old killers?

• Killer clowns, robots and silver balls: What makes a great B-horror movie — and why do some of these ridiculous ideas work?

• You picked your poison: Schlocktoberfest fans voted to choose four of the five movies in Saturday's marathon. The fifth is a secret.

• One last movie in the dark: What's Gelatt willing to reveal about the secret screening — including a special to the Rivoli from the director.

• Three-day Schlocktoberfest: If it gets too crazy, they'll have to pull it back like Oktoberfest La Crosse.

FRIDAY

7:30 p.m. — tapping of the Schlocky-Keg

8 p.m. - Chopping Mall (1986) R 77 min

SATURDAY

Noon — doors open

1 p.m. — Phantasm (1979) R 1hr 29min

3 p.m. — Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) PG-13 1hr 28min

5 p.m. — Slumber Party Massacre (1982) R 1hr 17min

7 p.m. — A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) R 1hr 36min

9 p.m. — Secret Show TBA

SUNDAY

12:30 p.m. — horror short films collection, exclusively curated by Terror Vision. 

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Republican red and Democrat blue — that hasn’t always been the case, and a study of both sides of the aisle found that one party liked the other party's color more.

That was part of an intriguing conversation with UW–Madison psychology professor, Dr. Karen Schloss, whose research looks at why we like certain colors, how our experiences shape those preferences and why our favorites can change over time — fall colors, anyone?

Schloss will give a free Badger Talk at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Legion, Holmen Public Library as part of the Wisconsin Science Festival. Her talk, where the audience can come with questions, will look at the science behind our favorite colors — and why the answer involves more than just personal taste.

On the show, we also get into why the colors of fall can become more appealing as the leaves change and the pumpkin spice flows, how positive and negative experiences shape our color preferences, and what a yellowish-green shade associated with vomit can tell us about why some colors are less popular than others.

In this conversation:

• Why green? Schloss questions why a certain radio hosts might be drawn to a color — and what experiences have to do with it.
• Pumpkin spice: Schloss explains her research into why some people get more drawn to fall colors as the leaves change, while others go the opposite direction? 
• The most loved color: There’s a clear favorite in Schloss’s research — and a shade that consistently ranks at the bottom. What makes the difference?
• Can you change someone's favorite color?: Schloss described what happened when her team tried to change people's color preferences in the lab — and whether those changes lasted.
• Colors that communicate: Schloss studies how color helps people make sense of information, from maps and graphs to diagrams — and how the right colors can make those visuals easier to understand.
• Red, politics and blue: While red and blue are affiliated with the two political parties, Schloss did research and found one group actually tends to like the other’s color more.
• Election Day affiliation: Schloss found that people's color preferences became more aligned with their political party on Election Day. Why? The party associations may have been top of mind.

Any school, group or organization that would like to host a Badger Talk, either in person or online, email here or request a speaker online at badgertalks.wisc.edu.

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Everything from the cheese club to UW-La Crosse athletics teams is taking part in year seven of “One Day,” beginning Tuesday across campus.

Lauren Wanders, UW-L’s strategic giving programs manager, was in studio to talk about the 24-hour event, which gives alumni, students, employees and community members a chance to support more than 200 campus causes.

One Day for UWL raised a record $622,000 last year, bringing the total raised over its first six years to more than $2.2 million. This year, the goal is 1,909 gifts — a nod to the university’s founding year. Reaching that number unlocks additional funding for the UWL Fund, which supports scholarships and the university’s greatest needs.

One Day for UWL runs from 9 a.m. Tuesday to 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. To browse campus causes, find matching gifts and make a donation, visit the One Day for UWL website.

Conversation highlights:

• A $62,000 challenge for UW-L football: A former player from the class of 1962 is challenging 62 people to donate to football. If they do, he’ll establish a $62,000 endowment for the program.

• Which campus groups get creative? Wanders gives Murphy Library a shoutout for its fundraising videos and sidewalk chalk, and talks about the friendly competition between campus groups.

• A first-time fundraising opportunity: The Health Science Interprofessional Research Center is participating in One Day for the first time. Wanders explains the community-based research and programming the center supports.

• Students and community: Wanders explains how UW-L’s community-engaged learning program connects students with local businesses and civic organizations, giving students hands-on experience while helping community groups. Mid City Steel is offering a matching gift to support the program.

• The competition goes beyond athletics: The gymnastics team has been successful at raising money, but last year the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences out-raised the College of Business Administration.

• Pancakes at 2 a.m.? Wanders pitches a late-night pancake event as one possibility for getting students involved in future One Day celebrations.

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La Crosse is facing a choice: raise property taxes or use city reserves to cover a $681,000 budget shortfall. 

Mac Kiel stopped in studio Friday to break down the trade-offs, what budget cuts could mean for city services and why the decision isn't as simple as it might seem.

We also discussed the city administrator proposal being back for a potential third vote, and that opposition to La Crosse's Flock cameras raises questions about the city's contract and who has access to the data.

• Raise taxes or use reserves? The Board of Estimates recommended one of two options to close the budget gap. Kiel explains the arguments for each and what taxpayers should consider.
• What do the budget cuts mean for city services? Departments have already made cuts, including staffing reductions. Could residents eventually see slower snowplowing, fewer services or other changes?
• City administrator is back: What might change the outcome this time, and what questions remain, and could the mayor offer something else?
• City services declining: Kiel looks at the limits on local revenue, state shared revenue and why decisions in Madison have consequences for city budgets.
• What's next for Flock cameras? The city has an $8,000 line item for the camera system next year, but questions remain about contract termination costs, data access and whether the city has alternatives.

Kiel is a former La Crosse City Council member, who is an advocate for providing the public with what is happening with city government. She also serves on some city boards and works with the unsheltered population.

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Three donors are funding most of the campaign for Tom Tiffany’s run for Wisconsin governor.

Wisconsin state Rep. Jill Billings (D-La Crosse) stopped in studio and talked about getting big money out of our elections.

We also discussed the timing of a bill to eliminate tax breaks for data center construction, given that the Legislature hasn’t been in session since March — even though Republicans, who control the Legislature, could call lawmakers back to pass it.

We opened the show talking about the Brewers, how the Legislature helped fund stadium upgrades as part of a shared revenue deal with municipalities, and why La Crosse and other local governments could use a new deal as costs rise without enough state funding to keep up.

Billings is running for reelection in District 95 and again facing Republican Cedric Schnitzler.

• Can Wisconsin rein in campaign spending? Billings backs a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow limits on campaign spending. What would it take to get it passed?
• Data center subsidies under fire: Republicans are proposing to eliminate tax breaks for data centers after previously approving them. Billings explains why she opposed the subsidies and questions whether anything will happen before the election.
• Why are property taxes going up? Billings says Wisconsin needs to change its school funding formula. Could the state's budget surplus help?
• Local budgets under pressure: La Crosse is considering using reserve funds to cover a budget shortfall. Billings talks about the challenges facing cities and smaller communities across Wisconsin.
• Keeping young people here: Billings points to UW-La Crosse and Viterbo as part of the solution. What else could Wisconsin do to attract and retain workers?
• What could lawmakers tackle next? With the Legislature out of session, we talk about a possible lame-duck session and Billings' priorities if she's re-elected.

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Donald Trump drew a packed crowd to the La Crosse Center back in 2024. 

Will Trump return to campaign for Republican governor candidate Tom Tiffany? 

On the Rick Solem Show this week, Tiffany, a U.S. House Rep. in Wisconsin's 7th District, was asked about bringing Trump back to La Crosse to campaign with him and Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien).

Tiffany somewhat avoided the idea, noting the president makes his own decisions and is focused on congressional races. Tiffany explains why he's keeping his attention on what a governor can do — and lays out his priorities if he wins the November election.

Some of those topics included public school accountability — but would voucher schools be a part of that? He also was asked about an aging deer hunting population and the Wisconsin DNR’s need for funding. Plus, what to do with the state’s $3 billion budget surplus.

We started the show, however, with Tiffany recounting his plane crashing in Lake Wausau — the last time he left La Crosse.

Conversation highlights: 

• Will Trump campaign in La Crosse again? Tiffany responds to the question of whether the president could return to the area, where his campaign rally drew a packed crowd and a line to the opposite side of Riverside Park.
• What would Tiffany do with Wisconsin's $3 billion surplus? He explains his approach to tax relief and what he wants to change for middle-class taxpayers.
• Holding schools accountable? Tiffany weighs in on public school funding, property taxes and whether voucher schools should face the same expectations.
• People are leaving Wisconsin — except Dane County? Tiffany is asked how to keep people in Wisconsin, and what Dane County is doing right that could be copied by other parts of the state.
• DNR funding? Tiffany’s response to combating an aging deer hunter population and strapped DNR is killing more wolves.
• Reliving the plane crash: Tiffany recounts his plane crashing the last time he left La Crosse and a certain photo he wanted of his bloody face
• Struggling budgets, like La Crosse? With La Crosse facing budget cuts, Tiffany explains what he thinks the state should do about shared revenue for local governments and schools.

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