By Kalan Haywood
Kalan Haywood
Candidate for 16th Assembly District
As a candidate for public office, I get the question at a resident’s doors or at community events about what issues I want to address. In the 16th assembly district, we have the potential for so much more, and we need someone in Madison to fight for the issues that matter to our community.
When I get to Madison, one of the first issues I want to work on is improving our public education. Scott Walker has cut hundreds of millions of dollars from our K12 schools and from our UW-System. How can we build a 21st-century economy, if we aren’t building a new generation of workers and innovators? I plan on working with allies in the education field and in the legislature to increase funding for public schools.
In the assembly, I also plan on addressing access and affordability of health care. I talk to seniors every day who see increases in prescription drug prices. Young folks have it just as bad, as premiums continue to rise.
In the assembly, I plan on working to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for raising prices and work to expand access to affordable health care options.
Thousands of residents across the 16th have lead pipes leading into their home or lead paint on their walls. We need a representative who will go to Madison to fight for funding to replace lead laterals and assist with the removal of lead paint.
In the assembly, I also want to increase economic opportunity. This means raising the minimum wage and providing more options for start-ups here in Wisconsin. Small business has always and will continue to be the heart of the economy, with two out of three new jobs in the U.S being created by small businesses.
We can’t forget to address our broken criminal justice system. We have too many people trapped in a cycle of crime, incarceration, and recidivism. We need to legalize marijuana, expunge criminal records and end the failed truth-in-sentencing law, which prevents parole.
Lastly, I want to work on the issue of public safety. Too many residents across the 16th, mention that they don’t feel safe leaving home or have had their car broken into. We need someone in Madison who is serious about improving public safety and improving police and community relations.
The residents of the 16th district have been left behind. They deserve to have someone step up to provide a new foundation on which we will build a better community. We may continue to face a storm in terms of divisiveness, but by working together we can solve any problem. We need a new generation of leaders to move our city forward. Please vote for me, Kalan Haywood on August 14th, so that we can build a better, brighter future for Milwaukee.
