PAINT IT BLACK WHAT SPENCER'S ASCENSION MEANS FOR ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS — AND THE STATE OF

BILL LUEDERS

ne of Spencer Majority Leader Black's first Chuck Chvala — to Oacts as minori- the detriment of the ty leader of the rest of the state. Jim Wisconsin State Pugh, spokesperson Assembly was to put a for the business small conference table lobby Wisconsin in his office, situated Manufacturers and between a portrait of Commerce (WMC), "Fighting Bob" notes that Black, LaFollette and one he's along with two other ordered of Gaylord Madison Democrats, Nelson. The office's scored lowest among previous occupant, the legislature's 132 Shirley Krug, simply members on WMC’s had chairs arrayed list of key votes last against the wall facing session. "In Spencer her desk. Black's sub- Black, you have the tle change in decor, an personification of the invitation to dialogue, tax-and-spend, understates the profound change in thinking beads-and-sandals Democrats of the 1970s," he that led to his ascension this May to the says. "By and large, you have one of the most Assembly Democrats' top leadership post. For anti-business members of the Assembly lead- while the coup that ousted Krug was bloodless, ing the Democratic caucus." it was not gutless. In picking Black, one of the Pugh predicts the move will backfire, that Legislature's most left-leaning members, as voters and even other Democrats will reject their leader, the Dems, who have languished in Black's brand of liberalism. "Already," he says, the Assembly's minority since 1994, are "individual Democrats are supporting a policy embracing a bold and perhaps risky strategy to agenda that's being developed by Assembly reconnect with their traditional bases of sup- Republicans" — referring to the five port and ignite enthusiasm for their candidates. Democrats who this summer broke ranks and Not surprisingly, Black's ascension has joined Republicans in passing the Assembly been greeted sourly in some quarters. version of the state budget. To Pugh, that Republicans howled about "a lurch to the left" means the real power in the Assembly, thank that, they said, would consolidate the heavens, resides firmly with the Republicans, Democrats' leadership in the hands of two Madison liberals — Black and state Senate Bill Lueders is news editor of Isthmus, the weekly news- paper of Madison.

Wisconsin Interest 7 under the leadership of Speaker Scott Jensen. ical advances and can also spawn an entire And that makes Black's top-dog role within his new industry which Wisconsin is ideally suit- own caucus of little consequence. ed to be home to." And rather than embrace it, he clucks, Republicans like Representative "He's the leader of the minority caucus," Sheryl Albers are wringing their hands about, says Pugh. "He's a liberal Madison Democrat. as she put it, "life sitting there in a petri dish." As long as Black's not the Speaker of the Assembly, he's not at all relevant to the policy As Assembly minority leader, Blacks says debate in the state. And the reason is, his own his goal is "to reinvigorate the grassroots, per- members don't support his liberal agenda." son-to-person style of politics which has seemed to go out of style." He thinks the key to But Black cannot be as easily pigeonholed reversing the Democrats' fortunes is getting as his opponents would like, nor can his poten- involved in issues that make a difference in tial to rejuvenate Assembly Democrats be so people's lives: affordable medication for easily dismissed. He's a smart, savvy team seniors, affordable college tuition for the mid- player who has already demonstrated his abili- dle class, quality education for public school ty to marshal supporters and outfox foes. Take students, a clean environment for all. To this Pugh, for example. end, he's organized statewide rallies that have "It's not surprising that WMC would not brought together teachers in support of lower like a Democrat who has a record of winning class sizes and students backing a bill that tough fights," says Black, citing his successful would require student aid to increase at the effort to pass a mining moratorium bill with same rate as tuition. "We're out there fighting grassroots support, despite a massive, indus- very aggressively, and taking the issues to the try-led campaign against it. "If Pugh had said people," says Black. "Not just in the state it was great that I was in power, the Democrats Capitol but in the church basements, the union should worry." halls and town squares." While conceding that Wisconsin Who does this guy think he is, Woody Democrats need to be attentive to the needs of Guthrie? And how did he get to be minority business, Black says the WMC is not an leader of the state Assembly? authentic representative of the state's business Black, 51, has served in the Assembly since community. Rather, he asserts, the group takes 1984. His area of special interest is the environ- "a very hard-line, very short-sighted view," as ment, and he chaired the Assembly Natural do the Republican lawmakers who score high Resources Committee from 1987 to 1994. He's on its key-votes tally. led the legislature's efforts toward recycling The future health of the Wisconsin econo- and against a proposed mine in Crandon. And my, says Black, depends on three things: "a he's been an outspoken advocate of campaign well-educated workforce, a top-notch universi- finance reform, which some would say is easy ty system, and a high quality of life." But for someone like him, whose seat in liberal rather than support these goals, Black charges, Madison is probably more secure than the Republicans and some members of the busi- codes needed to launch a nuclear war. ness community are under-funding higher Black's current rise to power owes to a education and the public school system, pro- confluence of factors. First and foremost was moting the heedless exploitation of natural the Assembly Democratic caucus' dissatisfac- resources and backing "medieval-style bans on tion with Krug, who took over the reins in medical research." By this, he means the efforts June of 1998. The first woman ever to hold the of Jensen and other Republicans to outlaw position, Krug was billed as a centrist who stem-cell research using human embryos. would bring a pragmatic approach to the job's "Here's an area where Wisconsin is a leader, main tasks: advancing a legislative agenda and which can lead to almost unimaginable med- helping restore the party's majority status. As

8 Fall 2001 to the first, let's let the fact that you draw a Assembly Dems have separate legal counsel in complete blank when asked, "What did the redistricting process. Krug argued that the Assembly Democrats accomplish in the last interests of Assembly Dems were not the same legislation session?" speak for itself. As to the as those of their colleagues in the Senate. second, despite Krug's expressions of confi- Chvala was not pleased and supported the dence, the Dems lost two seats on the 99-mem- groundswell that led to Krug's ouster. Black ber body last November, continuing a slide downplays the significance of this support, that dates back to 1990. saying that due to age-old rivalries it is "very difficult for a leader in one house to influence a "In ten years under Wally Kunicki and decision in the other." But certainly, some cau- Krug," says Black, "we went from 58 seats to cus members did feel it was counterproductive 43, from a strong majority to a weak minority." for Krug to be at odds with Chvala. And Black, And redistricting will erode that margin by at soon after he became minority leader, dropped least one more seat, to 42, before the next elec- this request for separate council. As he tion. "There was a desire for a different leader- explains it, "My feeling is that we have to work ship style, one that was more issue-based, together." more based on a grassroots approach to poli- tics, a leadership style When Krug became that was more inclusive, minority leader, she that brings more promptly replaced Democrats into the Representative Spencer process." Coggs on the powerful Joint Finance Committee In mid-November Black's ability to play with another 2000, just after the elec- well with others raised Democrat, Antonio Riley, tions, Black was named who was seen as more assistant minority leader, his standing within the amenable to business replacing Representative interests. Indeed, Riley Marlin Schneider, who caucus. developed a reputation as had vied with Krug for the "9th Republican" on the top post in 1998. Black the evenly divided 16- used the post to demon- person committee. More strate his ability to be a than once he broke ranks team player, delegating to side with Republicans responsibility and credit on issues like wet- on issues of concern to business, including his lands preservation to other Democrats. support for delivering a strategic tax break to "One of the things I like to do is get more Midwest Express, a measure some of his people involved in a leadership role or to be in Democratic colleagues dismissed as "corporate the public eye," says Black. "So on a number of welfare." issues I turned to other legislators who have a Riley also scared the bejesus out of his fel- strong interest and the expertise to be out low Democrats by announcing, in late April, front. It shouldn't always be the leaders." that he would give serious consideration to a Black's ability to play well with others raised proposal to split the state Department of his standing within the caucus. "He showed Natural Resources into two agencies — one that leadership fits him," reflects one legisla- that oversees activities like hunting, fishing tive aide. "When you elevate him to a leader- and camping, and the other that enforces envi- ship post and give him extra staff, he uses it to ronmental regulations. Black, who thinks this everyone's advantage." is a spectacularly bad idea ("If you want to There were tensions between Krug and have a good trout stream, you have to have Chvala, particularly over her desire that good water quality"), agrees that Riley's dal-

Wisconsin Interest 9 liance with this idea added urgency to the hard," he said at a news conference after the cause. But he says his decision to replace Riley vote. "Obviously being the minority leader is with Coggs on Joint Finance, which he made not easy. But change does occur in the political about two minutes into his tenure as minority process. That's no reflection on any individual." leader, was really just an effort to restore his Of course, individual styles do matter, and fellow Spencer to a post he had held ably for part of the change brought by Black is toward years, not a rebuke of Riley. a more aggressive, headstrong approach. His "I think it's important that Democrats from rhetoric is decidedly more incendiary. He talks the Assembly and Senate work together on the about Democratic opposition to Republican Joint Finance Committee," says Black. "Spencer efforts to "shift the tax burden more on work- Coggs had a good working relationship with ing families and senior citizens in order to give other members of the committee. My prefer- a tax break to millionaires." And he's signaled ence is to speak positively of Spencer Coggs, his unwillingness to go along to get along with rather than negatively about anyone else." majority Republicans. Black didn't seek out the minority leader's A case in point: In June, Assembly position; rather, it was thrust upon him. "A Republicans shot down a bill that would allow majority of Assembly Democrats felt there was two Madison development projects to proceed a need to change the leadership," he says. "I despite an error in the city's application. never spoke to any other Dems and asked Assembly Majority Leader Steve Foti, R- them to vote for me." By Black's account, the Oconomowoc, admitted this was done in retri- people supporting the change wanted to hold bution for Milwaukee Democrat off on a vote, since Krug's mother had passed Representative Tim Carpenter's accusations away in late April. But when she found out that Speaker Jensen was trading votes for cam- about the sentiment for a leadership change, paign contributions. "If they're going to treat "she asked that it be resolved right away." us like crap," Foti told The Capital Times, "we'll treat them like crap." But Black was unapolo- Krug's ouster occurred during a con- getic: "We are not going to be intimidated by tentious five-hour-long closed caucus session Scott Jensen into gagging our members or be on May 1. The critical vote, which took place intimidated into not discussing campaign after Krug made her best pitch in favor of finance reform. That is not a deal we are going keeping the post, was on whether to hold a to make." In a guest column that appeared in new leadership election. Black says about two- the , Madison's other thirds of the 43 caucus members voted "Aye." daily, Black went further, saying the After that, Krug made what Black calls a "gra- Republican's desire to punish Democrats "real- cious gesture" and urged that he be elected ly ended up punishing the disadvantaged fam- unanimously, which he was. Representative ilies" of the Madison neighborhood where one Jim Kreuser of Kenosha, who along with of the projects is based. He claimed the moral Schneider had challenged Krug for the leader- high ground: "I believe it is deeply un- ship post in 1998, was named assistant minori- American to bargain away the free-speech ty leader, Black's old job. rights of public officials elected by the people." Curiously, the sharpest Democratic criti- To many Democrats, this approach is cism of this intrigue came from Representative refreshing. "The way you stay in the minority," Frank Boyle, who like Black is one of the legis- says one legislative aide, "is to figure out a lature's most liberal members. "With this coup, comfortable existence in the minority, and we've opened a very dangerous door," he told that's what the Republicans want us to do." the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It is very divi- Black, the aide notes, is sending a different sive. It's not a unifier, for sure. I don't like it." message: "We're coming after you." (In the end, Black, for his part, was anything but divisive: the development-authorization bill was sent "Our current leadership has worked very back to the Assembly and passed.) 10 Fall 2001 But leadership has its burdens, among multiply it by two, and pass it into law." Why them is participating in a system that, to many would they multiply it by two? "Because observers, Black included, has been corrupted they're liberal!" exclaims Pugh. by money. As assistant minority leader, Black Black also has his sights set on the future oversees a caucus apparatus that, like the three and to next year's elections. While he isn't others (one for each party in each house), claiming he can perform Black magic on the stands accused of illegally participating in elec- fortunes of Assembly Democrats, he does toral campaigns. And he inherits a responsibil- think the Democrats are likely to reclaim the ity to help Assembly Democrats raise the kind governor's office. Black hasn't endorsed any of money it takes to win elections. Black has particular candidate, saying, "I like them all." ordered up a thorough review of the activities But he anticipates voter backlash against the of his caucus staff and declares, "No ifs, ands presidency of George Bush and the downturn or buts — they will not engage in electoral in the economy. And he thinks that after 16 activity on state time or using state facilities." years of Tommy Thompson and now Scott And he vows to continue vigorously pursuing McCallum, voters will be ready for a change: campaign finance reform. "People in Wisconsin But, in the meantime — don't want to become a that is, the foreseeable one-party state." While future — "we're not going McCallum is holding to unilaterally disarm." In $1,000-a-plate fundrais- other words, he will still We will do our best to ers, Black says, "My job as play the game of receiv- compete under the cur- Assembly minority leader ing money from special is to represent the people interests because it's "an rent system, but that who can't afford to dash unfortunate part of the off a $1,000 check, people process." In fact, some say won't stop us from who are working hard to Black will have an easier stay on the family farm, time than Krug snagging trying to change the working hard to get by money from traditional and raise a family." Democratic constituencies system. like labor, teachers and As Guthrie's "If You environmentalists. Says Ain't Got the Do Re Mi" Black, "We will do our plays on some internal best to compete under the current system, but soundtrack, Black talks about how the people that won't stop us from trying to change the of Wisconsin will rise up against McCallum system." Uh huh. and the Republicans once they get their proper- ty tax bills and see increases that have resulted Still, Black knows that the ability of the from cuts in state aid to schools and other pro- Assembly minority to effect change is minis- grams. "The Republican budget," he says, cule compared to that of the majority. WMC "equals a property tax hike." But will voters spokesperson Jim Pugh agrees, saying the really make the connection? Aren't they more prospect of a legislature led by Chuck Chvala likely to blame the local elected officials of the in one house and in the other municipalities they live in that levy the proper- "ought to send shivers down the spine of every ty tax? "I think the public is far more perceptive business executive in Wisconsin. It would be than that," says Black. "I have a lot of faith in the ultimate disaster for business." He says the average person. I think the average person, Chvala, in the version of the budget that given the right information, will be engaged passed the Senate, is seeking a $350 million tax and will make intelligent decisions. And I think increase. If Black becomes majority leader, the that's truer in Wisconsin than any place in the Dems will "take that $350 million increase, co u n t r y . "

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