Brookfield Residents Talk Business with Zipperer

It was an uneventful evening in Brookfield for state Sen. Rich Zipperer (R-City of Pewaukee), one that harkened back to simpler times in Wisconsin, before contentious recalls and acrimonious demonstrations.

Zipperer spoke to a handful of residents on almost a one-on-one basis at both the Brookfield Town Hall and the City of Brookfield municipal courtroom Wednesday night.

In the Town of Brookfield, after a scheduling snafu on the part of the town forced him outdoors, a small group sat at a picnic table to ask questions of the first-term senator and former state representative.

But despite the informality, the Brookfield residents were all about business, with questions centering on business in Wisconsin. At the town meeting, one of three residents asked Zipperer how many jobs could be affected by the changes in the state’s mining regulations.

Zipperer that there were long- and short-term benefits to mining, but that the state needed to make sure it is done right. He also said that even though the issue was tabled by the Legislature this summer, he was sure that it would be something that would come back on the agenda.

Another resident was concerned about jobs in general, saying that she had seen a program about hunger in America and asked why didn't people understand the link between jobs like mining and being able to solve hunger.

“Somebody said, and it wasn’t me, that the best social program is a job,” Zipperer said.

Making sure the state has the right business climate and is well-equipped to compete for jobs are priorities for Zipperer, he said, and it’s something he believes the Legislature has made progress on, citing changes in regulations, rules and tort law that formerly “hamstrung” businesses.

“Jobs and the economy doesn’t need to be a partisan issue and we should on what we can do to get the state back on track. I hope we can do that,” he said.

Another resident asked about a failed bill that proposed to using qualification-based selection for consultants and whether the bill is coming coming back. Such a bill would have allowed municipalities to hire consultants for a project based only on the consultant's qualifications, and not cost.

Zipperer said that he doesn’t think it has been introduced yet, but that it could come back. He said that he was disappointed when compromise on the bill was unsuccessful, adding that he thinks compromise is necessary because neither side is going to get everything they want.

One resident thanked Zipperer for his support of the further deregulation of the telephone companies this spring.

Zipperer said it was something that made sense, given the vast changes in the telecommunications market.

“The regulations that were there were drafted at the end of the monopoly era and it was hard to justify those anymore,” he said. “Between the competition of things we carry in our pockets and on our hips, and voice-over internet ... the old monopoly doesn’t have the control it used to have.”

In circling back to a common theme, Zipperer said that to attract businesses and jobs, Wisconsin can’t afford to lag behind the rest of the country in telecommunications.

A few questions were about the current political climate. Zipperer was asked if the recent recalls were disruptive to the legislative session and about the influence of outside money on elections. He said the recalls have led to a different of atmosphere, one of constant campaigning.

“It’s an effort to be in campaign mode,” he said.

He also said outside money has changed how candidates campaign, “and that’s unfortunate.”

“Races need to be about candidates and not third parties.  I don’t think people want outside interests determining the future of our state,” he said.

In a brief interview between meetings, Zipperer said the town hall meetings in the area have gone very well with most people, but not all, supportive of his part in the wide-sweeping changes at the state level.

At every stop, people have asked questions about the new legislation that the legislature has approved, wondering how concealed carry, for example, is going to work, he said.

Zipperer, whose district also includes parts of Sussex, Waukesha and Menomonee Falls, held local "office hours" throughout his district this week.

He appeared in Waukesha and on Monday, also also made stops Wednesday at the and .