print story

81st Assembly candidate says he'll only take 50% of salary

The Capital Times  —  8/18/2008 3:42 pm

One of six Democrats vying for the 81st Assembly District seat says he will accept only half his pay if elected to the job.

"I have decided that in this time of budget deficits for the state, I don't think it is right to accept a full-time salary for what should be a part-time job," Tim Kiefer said in a press release announcing his proposed salary cut.

Kiefer is running against Waunakee Village President John Laubmeier, Madison restaurant owner Peng Her, former lobbyist Eric Englund, state Senate legislative aide Justin Sargent and former NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin Executive Director Kelda Helen Roys. Since no Republican is running for the seat, the winner of the Sept. 9 partisan primary will walk away with the job.

If elected, Kiefer, a Dane County assistant district attorney, is required to give up his state job. He said he would practice law in the private sector.

If he accepted only half his $47,413 salary, he would be pulling in only $23,706 at taxpayers' expense.

He said that the state Legislature is dominated by career politicians, while a generation ago it was populated by people still working as farmers, doctors and business people.

"I don't think it's a coincidence that as the Assembly has changed from a part-time citizen Legislature into one populated by full-time career politicians, there's been more and more partisan bickering and less and less actually getting done," he said.

The Capital Times  —  8/18/2008 3:42 pm