Ben Brist
DemocraticQ1 America has a growing artificial intelligence (AI) industry, supporting cutting edge innovation and reshaping businesses, but raising concerns about education, ownership, and security. Application of AI technology has increased the demand placed on data centers, controversial for their resource use (such as water and land) and raising utility costs. What are your policy positions in regards to data centers and AI? What sources of evidence informed these positions?
My stance on AI and data centers is one of caution. I support a data center moratorium to implement safeguards for Wisconsin citizens. I support making the companies building these data centers pay for the costs, not the communities they reside in, so citizens are not burdened with higher utility costs, worsened water quality, and worsened air quality through the consumption of fossil fuels. Data centers should require input from community members before ground is broken, while also running on clean energy, paying for their own electricity usage, and not impacting the local water sources. These positions are informed by local advocacy organizations such as those in Port Washington, existing research in public policy and scientific communities regarding the impact of data centers, and previous data center projects.
KEYWORDS: Caution, Moratorium, Self-Funded, Clean Energy, Regulation, Local Authority
Q2 Making the US competitive in the bioeconomy (using technology applied to renewable biological resources to produce food, energy and industrial goods) requires innovation and investments in business, academia and government. Please describe policies you will support, if any, that relate to workforce development in Wisconsin’s strengths such as agriculture, biotechnology, and energy; and explain their rationale.
I support investing in agriculture, biotechnology, and energy, particularly to fix the issues caused by agricultural pollution. These industries are going to power economic growth in the future, and it is vital that Wisconsin, as America’s dairyland and agricultural hub, is at the forefront of investment and development of the workforce in these key sectors. Areas such as renewable energy are continuing to grow in the state of Wisconsin; backing policies surrounding economic development of the energy workforce must include expansion of renewable energy developments to expand our energy grid and create job developments in these growing sectors. I have experience working on biotech investment in particular while working in Tammy Baldwin’s office. I have seen firsthand the desire to expand Wisconsin’s biotech industry and will continue this work as an Assembly member.
KEYWORDS: Investment, Biotech, Development
Q3 Wisconsin’s public K-12 education systems have seen a significant decline in the past two decades, with more than 600 public schools closing and statewide student enrollment dropping 7%. These impacts have been especially pronounced in Wisconsin’s many rural counties, where opportunities for STEM education are already fewer. What policies, if any, would you support to improve K-12 education for students across Wisconsin?
One of my core focuses centers around fully funding our public schools by using existing state funds. We need to use our budget surplus to fund public schools and lessen the property tax burden on Wisconsin residents. I also believe in the importance of teachers on the outcomes of students, especially in crucial subjects in STEM. We need to improve the working conditions of our educators by strengthening labor protections and providing them the pay and coverage so they can afford to stay in Wisconsin and educate the next generation. Rural communities cannot be left out of the equation either, as they face a crisis in funding. I want to end the voucher program that takes away state dollars to fund private schools and put that money back into our public schools, so that schools in the city center and our rural communities both receive the resources that they need to help students succeed.
KEYWORDS: Proper Funding, Property Taxes, STEM
Q5 If elected, in what capacities would you refer to scientists when you are deciding how to vote on a policy?
I have great respect for the academic communities in our state and across the nation. I attended the Harvard Kennedy School because I believe in the importance of conducting research that informs policy. Therefore, I would refer to scientific research and new findings to inform my policy positions. I would ensure my policy votes balance public and expert opinions, because my role as a legislator is to answer the tough questions and how they apply to our community. I also know that I cannot be an expert on every subject, but that we have expansive research being done everyday by fields of experts, and we must support those communities by putting their research into our policy. My experience as a fellow in Dane County Executive Melissa Agard’s office on water pollution issues required me to balance stakeholders and expert opinions, and I will bring that same level of nuance to Madison.
KEYWORDS: Trust, Research, Policy
Q7 Wisconsin has faced an increasing number of infectious disease outbreaks in recent years, for instance with rising numbers of measles and avian influenza cases that threaten human health and agricultural industry, respectively. What policies, if any, would you support to manage the burden of infectious disease in the state and respond to future outbreaks?
It is vital that we support our public health within the state to prepare for and defend against any infectious disease outbreak. That starts with ensuring everyone has access to healthcare so they can be covered in case of emergency. I support a public option at the state level so no Wisconsin resident faces rising healthcare costs and avoids getting necessary care. In doing so, our preventative health measures will be strengthened to catch infectious diseases that enter our state and prevent outbreaks. On a large scale, I support public health measures that protect every citizen, especially those who are most vulnerable. I support ensuring the Wisconsin DHS Division of Public Health is fully funded to prevent outbreaks like bird flu or the ongoing cyclospora outbreak. This also includes using our community health facilities to regularly screen for infectious diseases and providing them funding for PPE or other community health safety measures to distribute to our neighbors.
KEYWORDS: Affordable, Accessible, Public Option, Community Safety