La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

With election season underway, AARP Wisconsin State director Raj Shukla stopped in studio to break down some key issues impacting local families this fall.

Shukla walked through the everyday challenges voters should research before heading to the polls — from helping small-business workers without access to a 401(k) to supporting family caregivers. 

The conversation covers retirement, Social Security, and healthcare from multiple angles and shows how voters can dig into where candidates stand.

As Shukla pointed out, these are far from being just "senior issues" — these policy debates directly affect family budgets and daily life for Wisconsinites of all ages.

AARP is also hosting a Fraud Watch Trivia Night at the Pump House Regional Arts Center downtown from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 13.

Episode Highlights:

• Workplace Retirement Access: Shukla details why one-third of Wisconsin workers lack access to 401(k)s and how a proposed "Work and Save" option could give small-business employees a simple, portable payroll-deduction savings account—clarifying it is a personal savings tool, not a state pension.

• Family Caregiving Challenges: Shukla and Solom discuss the policy changes and direct support needed for adult children helping aging parents navigate healthcare and daily life.

• Voter Candidate Resources: Where Wisconsinites can review candidate positions and election information through the AARP Voter Resource Center or check local voting details on the Wisconsin Elections Commission Portal.

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A new committee on healthcare in the city of La Crosse is a vote away from being created.

In November city of La Crosse residents will decide if the Community Healthcare Action Plan gets passed through referendum.

Nick Padesky, a campaign manager with Community Action Wisconsin, stopped in studio to explain how the seven-person panel would work.

He says it will give local residents, doctors, and underinsured families a platform to document medical struggles, counter policy decisions, and pressure lawmakers in Madison and Washington to expand coverage and lower prescription costs.

City of La Crosse voters will see four ballot questions on the November ballot. Three were written by Republicans in the state Legislature with no Democratic support to change the state Constitution.

The fourth is the local municipal referendum regarding the Community Healthcare Action Plan, which asks: "Shall the city establish a citizens advisory health care action committee to develop a biennial health care action plan and provide a public process for community input on health care?"

Episode Highlights:

• Reason Committee is Needed: Proponents argue local residents need an official city-backed mechanism to document skyrocketing prescription drug costs and fight federal policy decisions.

• Signature Surge: Over 5,000 La Crosse residents signed petitions to put the measure on the ballot, outpacing signature thresholds for gubernatorial candidates.

• Makeup: The proposed panel will combine local doctors and public health workers with uninsured residents fighting massive out-of-pocket medical bills.

• Town Hall Alternative: Regular public hearings will give citizens an open microphone to share personal healthcare struggles directly on the record when federal representatives refuse to hold open town halls.

• City Budget Bite: Spikes in health insurance costs could add $2 million to city personnel expenses, directly threatening funding for local libraries and public pools.

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It's a bit of a light committee week preview, but there was plenty of city business in La Crosse to discuss with Mac Kiel in studio. 

Kiel helped break down what was finally a public meeting on — basically — creating a city administrator position, plus major staff cuts hitting the public library and why council members might have to trim their own expense accounts. 

We also dove into the city's latest progress on homelessness and what looked to be a scramble to land a Chipotle on the south side. 

Episode Highlights:

• City Manager Showdown: A special council session on professional city management leaned heavily toward hiring a city administrator, raising big questions about overall costs and the future role of the mayor.
• Library Board Fallout: With all city departments ordered to slash 6% from their budgets, Kiel details the Library Board's painful vote to eliminate five full-time positions to erase about $430,000 from the 2027 budget.
• Council Expense Cut: The biggest item for committee week is from F&P, where a self-imposed trim could not just drop council expense allowances but change the entire format.
• Homelessness Targeted Strategy: A Pathways Home city-county update revealed homelessness is down by a third, but the immediate and long-term dilemmas are still clashing
• Chipotle Express Postponed: A series of special meetings was called to fast-track a south-side Chipotle near Wendy's to hit strict filing deadlines, only for the session to get postponed anyway.

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Sarah Godlewski stopped in studio to talk about her vision for lowering everyday costs for Wisconsin residents.

The Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor outlined plans to ease pressure on local budgets — from fully funding public schools to help lower property taxes, to finding ways at the state level to combat gas prices.

Godlewski also went after D.C. gridlock, pointing directly at her Republican governor opponent, U.S. House Rep. Tom Tiffany. She argued that Tiffany, and Republicans who control Congress, have not just ignored cost-of-living issues like healthcare and fuel prices, but made things worse — putting the burden on state leaders to deliver practical solutions for residents.

She also discussed the oddity of Wisconsin’s primary system, where governor and lieutenant governor candidates run separately before joining forces for the general. Plus, Godlewski shared the story of being sworn in as Secretary of State in her Packers pajamas — though we didn't ask if she'll wear them again if she and Crowley win in November.

In this episode:

• Lowering Local Costs: Godlewski’s state-level plans to lower property taxes and fuel prices.
• Federal Inaction: Pointing to Tom Tiffany and D.C. gridlock on healthcare and fuel costs rising.
• School Funding: Why she says funding public education at the state level is key to local tax relief.
• Navigating the Ticket: Godlewski’s take on running in Wisconsin’s split primary, then aligning with David Crowley for November. 
• The Pajama Swearing-In: The story behind her unconventional oath of office as Secretary of State.

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He manages a $1.6 billion state fund with no staff and is the only Republican aside from Ron Johnson to win statewide office in the past decade. 

John Leiber, Wisconsin's state treasurer, stopped in studio to help explain why an office called state treasurer is mostly tasked with buying tech for school libraries and overseeing tens of thousands of acres of timberland.

We also got into the politics of the position, like how his office might be different under Democrat David Crowley or Republican Tom Tiffany as governor and the role of the Legislature of his position — and why he has no help.

He is running for reelection this fall against Democratic challenger Yee Leng Xiong.

Episode Highlights:

• Managing $1.6 Billion: Inside Leiber’s primary duty sitting on the board that oversees state trust funds, which delivered a record $73.5 million to local school libraries.

• Logging for Public Schools: Turning 77,000 acres of state timberland into direct revenue for UW scholarships and forestry programs without clear-cutting.

• The Zero-Staff Reality: What happens to a constitutional office stripped of staff when the only guy working there goes to the hospital for appendicitis surgery.

• Crowley vs. Tiffany Scenarios: How Leiber envisions his role shifting depending on whether a Democrat or a Republican wins the governor’s mansion.

• Saudi Arabia Childhood: Leiber shares what it was like living on a compound at age 13 during the Gulf War, where local tornado sirens still trigger memories of air raid alarms.

• Trapped Cash and Typos: Why $900 million in unclaimed property sits with the state, including $144,000 meant for UW-Madison that got frozen over a clerical error.

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Jill Schams is getting her accordion ready as Oktoberfest nears. The Southern Bluffs music teacher and La Crosse Education Association president stopped by to debate whether the area is running low on squeeze boxes, what it takes to land a spot on the Oktoberfest Accordion Club float, and what happened when she blasted live polka in her classroom right as Superintendent Dr. Aaron Engel walked in.

Once the accordion talk settled down, Schams, the teachers’ union president, helped tackle some serious school policy — including the fight for universal free school meals, how local foundation grants fund classroom needs, the Lincoln Middle School final walkthrough, and why state budget surpluses aren't reaching local classrooms.

Episode Highlights:

• Saving the Polka Tradition: Hunting down local accordion players, prepping for the Oktoberfest float, and surprising elementary kids (and the superintendent) with live polka.
• School Lunch Realities: Why feeding every student should be a basic societal baseline rather than a mountain of bureaucratic paperwork.
• Funding the Gap: Breaking down the heavy lifting local foundations like the La Crosse Public Education Foundation do to keep classroom grants alive.
• State Budget Priorities: Why relying on short-term tax cuts and surplus funds fails to address fundamental, long-term public school funding needs.
• Preserving School Memories: Taking a quick look back at Lincoln Middle School's final open house and finding ways to honor local school history before consolidation.

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Republican candidate for Wisconsin’s 95th Assembly, Cedric Schnitzler, in studio, discussing the critical agricultural and economic issues facing western Wisconsin, and issuing a direct call for the federal government to tackle soaring diesel prices.

Schnitzler, a lifelong farmer and Monroe County Board Chair, also discussed local policy and ag issues, including the push to protect groundwater, county efforts to refine data center moratoriums, and why state lawmakers need to protect local control.

Schnitzler is running against incumbent Jill Billings (D-La Crosse) in the fall elections that conclude Nov. 3.

Episode Highlights:

• Federal Action on Diesel: Schnitzler calls on D.C. to take immediate action on $6 diesel, warning that soaring fuel costs are driving up prices on everything.
• Data Center Moratorium: Monroe County moves to adjust its moratorium language so small business and hospital servers don't get swept up in tech regulations.
• Local Control Under Siege: Schnitzler cautions that state lawmakers could strip local power over major developments, including data centers.
• Forever Chemicals in Water: Why growing concerns over PFAS contamination near local waterways demand real accountability and cleaner alternatives.

• Ag Supply Chain Under Pressure: How rising input costs, high fuel prices, and market shifts are impacting local producers and driving up grocery bills.

• Fair-Share Farm Taxes: Why preserving agricultural use-value property assessments is critical to keeping local producers in business.

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An Anthropic insider recently gave humanity a decade before A.I. triggers total extinction, but we only had four minutes to chat about the end of the world on Friday’s Rick Solem Show—needing to talk about more urgent local matters, like an 11-year-old giving everyone a three-day head start before she found the Oktoberfest medallion.

UW-La Crosse political science professor Dr. Anthony Chergosky stopped in studio, joined by WIZM’s Kevin Millard and Brad Williams to talk the decline of candidate debates, why politicians don’t go all-in on data center bans, and Chergosky's tragic unfamiliarity with Maid-Rite sandwiches.

Episode Highlights:

• Doomsday Math: AI insiders place the odds of human extinction within ten years at over 10%, raising the stakes on technology debates close to home.

• Charlie Berens vs. Ben Wickler: A hypothetical matchup between the comedian and former WI Dem chair highlights the clash between political outsiders and party insiders.

• Data Center Drama: Dr. Anthony Chergosky breaks down why current candidates are walking a fine line on massive data center projects while political outsiders lean into raw voter frustration.

• Treasure Hunt Mastermind: An 11-year-old gave the entire city a three-day head start before snagging the Oktoberfest medallion on the bluffs in just five minutes.

• One and Done: Statewide candidates are ditching multi-debate traditions for single-shot appearances, fundamentally changing how voters compare politicians on air.

• No-Show Showdown: Congressional candidates in Wisconsin’s 3rd District continue to dodge head-to-head debates, leaving voters wondering who is ducking whom.

• Loose Meat Returns: A local staple makes a massive comeback as community members line up for the famous Maid-Rite sandwich fundraiser.

• Campus Culture Shock: Chergosky on incoming UW-La Crosse international students’ reactions to life in town—from disbelief over the 21-year-old drinking age to debates over cheese curds, health insurance, and Twizzlers.

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A lot covered with the city planning department in studio, from the old Kmart demo timeline and creating a public market to revamping the La Crosse's decades old zoning code.

Planning director Andrea Trane and deputy director Tim Acklin stopped in studio to help navigate some of the city's biggest projects.

Trane sets us straight on the $600,000 "public market study," while Acklin breaks down how rewriting decades-old zoning makes room for everything from doggy daycares to starter homes.

Episode Highlights:

• Kmart Demolition Progress: Why state grant conditions are forcing a spring deadline for the old building to come down—and where city paperwork actually stands.
• Public Market Truth: Trane sets the record straight on the $600,000 TID 11 transfer, what happens to those funds if a market isn't built, and why that money couldn't be used to save library jobs.
• 1980s Zoning Overhaul: Acklin breaks down why the city is overhauling land-use policies written during the Reagan administration, and what "missing middle" zoning actually means for future neighborhood growth.
• Chasing Out-of-State Landlords: Trane breaks down the disconnect of dealing with Texas and New York landlords who don't understand La Crosse's key arteries, and why local ownership is the key to redeveloping areas like the old Kmart and Shopko.
• Preserving Neighborhood Character: Acklin explains how new multi-family design standards will require duplexes and triplexes to visually blend into existing residential streets.
• TID 101: Trane addresses how TIF districts work in practice and why those funds can't simply be redirected to cover general city expenses.

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Current Festmaster Brent Smith and last year's leader Mike Bakalars stopped in the WIZM studio for The Rick Solem Show to preview the final countdown to La Crosse’s Oktoberfest — and show how the sausage is made, literally.

The two shared what it's really like to keep one of the city's biggest secrets for six months — being selected Festmaster — from an anonymous front-door beer drop to joking about being the "last resort" on the list.

Beyond the ceremonial torch passing at next Wednesday's Festmasters Ball, the pair shared stories about minus-30-degree festival tours in Winnipeg, running into UW-L Chancellor James Beeby downtown in full Lederhosen, and the infamous 2 a.m. heist of the festival's 80-pound golden brat.

Episode Highlights:

• Learning Their Festmaster Status: How both men got the secret news—from a front-door German beer drop to a joke about being fifth choice. 
• The 80-Pound Heist: The chaotic 2017 story of when thieves actually stole the massive golden brat off the grill.
• Designing the Button: How Festmasters select custom symbols — from scales of justice to Navy logos — to engrave on thousands of official Festmaster buttons.
• Chancellor Encounter: Getting caught driving UTVs through downtown La Crosse in full festival gear and running straight into UW-L Chancellor James Beeby.
• Missing Gambrinus: The morning-after panic when King Gambrinus was accidentally left unattended in a hotel hallway.

The Heart of Tour Week: Brent Smith reflects on why visits to local nursing homes and schools mean more than any parade crowd.Serving the Community: Mike Bakalars shares what it really feels like to spend a year as an ambassador for the city of La Crosse. 

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