John Perryman
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?
Regarding data centers, given that AI is almost certainly going to continue expanding, they will be built somewhere. Currently in Wisconsin there is no statewide regulation or guidance regarding these facilities. The only action taken was to extend a sales tax credit, which has cost the state about $2 billion. I would support a moratorium on new construction until we have better guidance for communities. This guidance would include forbidding the use of NDA’s, requiring the builder to cover all infrastructure costs, and have rigorous environmental impact studies related to land use, electricity and water consumption. Other local impacts such as noise and light pollution would have to be factored in as well. This is not an exhaustive list, but a starting point. The final decision belongs to the community. Regarding AI itself, I have deep concerns based on reporting in multiple sources of entities hallucinating, performing in unexpected ways, and most recently escaping a contained environment and hacking into a different (and sophisticated) AI company. If we don’t start building rigorous guardrails controlling AI behavior, I fear we will face a potential calamity.
KEYWORDS: Safety. Accountability. Full disclosure.
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.
First, we need to make Wisconsin a more attractive place to live so we can recruit talent. While we have much to offer, we need to find ways to help workers and families with high costs. From a state government standpoint, the areas that would have the most impact would be cutting childcare and health care costs and improving access to both. Restoring grants to childcare providers, improving tax incentives for businesses to provide on-site childcare, and providing improved rural health care access at lower costs would be priorities. Cutting health care costs would also help to relieve some financial strain these companies face. Expanding the pool of people going into these fields can be accomplished by earlier exposure (high school) to businesses in these fields, scholarship opportunities and/or tuition breaks for related course programs.
KEYWORDS: healthcare, childcare, education
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?
The school funding formula needs to be completely revamped. Funding tied to enrollment in a state with open enrollment leads to decreased revenues for a district without a decrease in costs when students leave. The lack of inflation adjustment in the formula has led to a roughly $3,500 deficit per student in funding. I would de-link funding from enrollment, allow inflation adjustment, increase funding for special education, pay our teachers more by permitting collective bargaining, and stop sending taxpayer dollars to private charter and religious schools. These steps will provide greater resources for STEM education.
KEYWORDS: Funding, voucher restriction, teacher comp
Q5 If elected, in what capacities would you refer to scientists when you are deciding how to vote on a policy?
A great deal. I am a pediatrician and realize the value of peer reviewed high-quality information. I am a firm believer in reaching out to those on the front lines of a field to get the benefit of their experience and expertise. I recognize the danger of unsubstantiated claims and drawing conclusions from poorly designed studies. My background and approach has led to endorsement by 314Action, an organization that supports scientists in political races.
KEYWORDS: Expertise, sound scientific practices
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?
Follow the science. Eliminate vaccine exemptions for highly communicable diseases in public schools. Change how we communicate about vaccines, highlighting that immunization does not only protect the individual, but families and communities. Respond forcefully to false claims and information.
KEYWORDS: Evidence based, public outreach