You're listening to Perspective on WFHR 1320 AM, 975 FM.
I'm Melissa Kaye, bringing you news in our community.
During this interview, I'm talking with Senator Patrick Teston on Friday, September 18th.
Thank you for joining me, Patrick, to bring the community an update from the 24th Senate District.
me.
Great to talk to you again.
Well, let's start with a subject that a lot of people don't want to talk about right now.
Let's talk about money.
Gas prices are going through the roof and the price of diesel is skyrocketing, so the price of everything is going up.
But the state of Wisconsin has a projected surplus of $2.3 billion and a $2.1 billion rainy day fund.
Representative Scott Krug wants that money to go back to taxpayers.
You mentioned in a recent newsletter that the 2025-27 state budget will leave us an excellent financial shape in the future with the projected surplus and rainy day fund.
So what is happening with those funds, Patrick?
So actually, our financial stability is actually much stronger than it was even back in May when we tried to get a budget surplus deal and get that money out the door back to taxpayers.
more recently from our legislative fiscal bureau, which are basically our incredible being counters down to Madison.
We were sitting on roughly a $3 billion surplus.
And so, you know, back in May, if we had spent months negotiating with the legislature along with Governor Evers office, the trying crafty deal that would have returned that surplus back to the taxpayers, provide property tax relief, no tax on tips.
no tax on overtime, have a increase in the special education reimbursement going back to our public schools, which would actually help buy down property taxes.
We'll also provide more resources for those students that need it.
And yet we couldn't get that through the state senate.
A past assembly, when it came to the state senate, we had three of our senate republican colleagues vote no and every single senate democrat senator voted against that.
bill as well.
And so, you know, we are sitting on a very big surplus right now.
And I do think regardless of how things shake out between now and November 3rd, that money should go back to the taxpayers.
And however that deal is crafted, I am open to any and all conversations and possibilities.
But that is not the government's money.
That is the taxpayers' money.
And we should return it to where it's rightfully belonged.
Is there any hope that there would be movement on that before November or are politicians just focused on Election Day?
And as I've said, after the failed budget surplus deal in the state Senate that, you know, I'm willing to come back and do the job that we weren't able to get.
It's going to require two more senators on either side of the aisle to agree to return that money back to the taxpayers staff because there are so much focus and energy being devoted to potentially trying to flip the legislature.
We've got a gubernatorial election right now that is sucking up all the oxygen.
I just don't know if there's a political will because right now it's being used as political ammunition and campaign fodder for some of our friends and it's just
It's a missed opportunity and regardless of how things shake out, I still think we need to have an honest and hard conversation that that money belongs and deserves to go back to the taxpayers.
You also mentioned in your newsletter that this was your first session serving as chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Revenue.
The price of diesel is hurting our agriculture industry as we speak, and it's not looking like those prices are going to come down anytime soon.
It's also harvest season across the state.
How are farmers going to deal with these extremely high diesel prices?
And is there something the state legislature can do to help?
We don't exactly have control of the cost of diesel or the price of gas at the pump.
All these decisions are ultimately impact determined by decisions that are made out in DC.
But what we can control here in the state is making sure that we are doing what we can to provide relief, whether it's tax relief, property tax relief, continue to build upon the investments that we've done in previous budgets, whether it's the A-Rip program, the L-Rip program.
provided more grant dollars for our meat processors, our farmers to open up new markets.
And so that's what we're going to continue to be focused on as I've been going all across the state, helping out some of our candidates and some of the key seats that are going to determine control of the state Senate.
I mean, it is the affordability and the cost of living that is really moving the needle.
And that's where I think we have a prime opportunity here to deliver those results in our previous discussion of getting
our state surplus back up with people, the men and women who need it most, and certainly our farmers are at top of mind.
With the price of everything just going to continue to go up with diesel, there's a lot to talk about with getting those funds back to the constituents.
This is a conversation that I have every single time that I have the opportunity to meet.
and have a conversation with any of our congressional delegation that look, you know, obviously there's a lot of uncertainty with the war with Iran, but I think the sooner we can have a resolution to get ourselves out of that conflict and find a hopefully a peaceful end to that, hopefully that's going to provide some relief at the national level, which will obviously have a ripple effect for not just here in Wisconsin, but across the country.
Mm-hmm and across the world because those pipelines and those conduits for oil are not flowing right now,
I mentioned Representative Scott Krug earlier.
He brought up your name at Wednesday night's Planning Commission meeting in Wisconsin Rapids where they recommended denying the conditional use permit from PNK Group to build a data center on the old craft mill site.
Krug said that the two of you had created the Rapids Together Task Force in 2016 in an attempt to find a developer for the mill.
He said you're going to start that task force up again.
What conversations are happening at the legislative level about the mill site in Wisconsin Rapids?
Yeah, I mean, we're having those conversations right now and I'm hoping just like we did back in 2020 when the Rapids Mill, the announcement was made to go idle.
And it was really one of those, one of these defining moments within my time in the legislature where, you know, it was such a great experience where we had folks from the federal government, state government, local government, community organizations coming together to sit at the table and say, what steps do we have to take next?
Now, obviously with the actions that were taken by the planning commission, you know, I thought them, I think it was the right choice.
I don't think this particular developer is probably the best choice for the rapid site.
But at the same time, this is a site that has set a vacant for the better part of six years now.
And if we want to attract new opportunities to Wisconsin Rapids and Central Wisconsin at large, we need to find the right fit.
and the right home for the future of that site.
I'm hopeful as we continue these conversations, they're still very much in the preliminary stages right now that we can do what we did back in 2020 and pool all of our heads and resources together at the table and see what we can do and explore any and all avenues and opportunities for new development right here in Central Wisconsin.
And that site is, it has some particular challenges because it is zoned industrial.
We know that there is contamination in the ground.
Is there a hope that it can be anything besides an industrial site?
I don't know what the right answer is there.
I mean, obviously it's a Brownsfield area.
There is contamination.
It's going to take remediation.
It's going to take investment to clean up that site.
So whether it's
a manufacturing facility down the road or it gets rezoned into something different.
We just need to make sure that whatever actions are taken by the city that it's the right fit for the city and hopefully we find a willing partner that's going to invest in an area of the state that could certainly use a shot in the arm.
And as far as the data center conversations go, municipalities across the state are considering moratoriums or their outright like saying no data centers.
Some are welcoming them to the community.
There's plenty that are being built across the state.
What conversations are happening at the state level as far as maybe putting a pause on with concerns about.
the AI bubble potentially bursting?
Are there conversations happening at the state level as far as data centers?
In fact, there was legislation that, again, unfortunately, was unable to get through the legislature that would have created some guardrails for the development of data centers.
You know, my stance has been this.
It's pretty simple.
When I think about some of these developments and just some of the
the concern that has been raised by them is first and foremost, these should be discussed and negotiated out in the open public.
No nondisclosure agreements, making sure that rate payers are being protected, making sure that we're protecting our natural resources.
So whether it's a closed water loop system or some other type of technology that ensures that we aren't using up our water resources here in the state.
And again, most importantly, making sure that rate payers are protected.
And it's about making sure that whatever development is being proposed, it's the right fit for that community, which is why at the end of the day, it comes down to ensuring local control.
And a prime example, with the planning commission's actions that were taken earlier this week, they exercised that.
They looked at the plan.
They looked at the proposal and decided, this isn't a right fit for Wisconsin Rapids under this.
under this current developer.
And so, you know, I think this is a great example where, you know, there was a lot of folks who showed up and offered their testimony and their concerns and local officials and leaders, they took that to heart and they made the call that they believe was in the best interest for the community they
serve.
While this is a great spot for us to take a short pause to hear from our sponsors, I'm Alyssa Kay talking with Senator Patrick Teston, and you're listening to Perspective on 1320 a.m.
975 FM WFHR.
Welcome, you're listening to Perspective on WFHR 1320 AM 975 FM.
I'm Melissa Kay bringing you news in our community.
I'm speaking with Senator Patrick Teston and where we left off we were talking about a data center regulation and what the state can do at if the state can do anything at that level or
local control if that is what needs to happen.
Another thing that I noticed in one of your recent updates here was the joint finance committee of which you are, I believe the chairperson, yes?
Co-vice chair.
You were co-chair at one point in time, right?
Okay, okay.
But that you released?
$10 million for PFAS cleanup and remediation efforts, and that amount is in addition to the $130 million that was approved earlier in the 2025-26 legislative session.
Let's talk about PFAS for a minute.
They have been used in manufacturing and various products for decades, and unfortunately, as the science has evolved and research has,
uh evolved you know these do have some some detrimental health effects for individuals and unfortunately in key areas of the state uh we've seen wells have been contaminated uh we have seen uh properties essentially become completely devalued because the wells on those properties are contaminated PFAS and this is one of these moments where you know again
Despite some of the political differences that we have in Madison, where Republicans and Democrats were able to come together, Senator Eric Wimberger, formerly up in the Green Bay area, who represents Northeast Wisconsin, under the old maps, had the city of Marinette, my hometown, which became sort of the epicenter and ground zero for the PFAS discussion.
This is just the tip of the iceberg as it relates to what needs to be done to remediate and provide relief for homeowners and individuals who have been dealing with contamination for years.
And so my hope is no matter what happens this November that we'll continue to work across both sides of the aisle to provide relief for those homeowners and communities to ensure that when you go to your well, when you go to your tap that you have a surety that you have clean and safe drinking water.
Because digging a new well is not a cheap undertaking.
I know when we purchased our first home about 11 years ago, that was one of the first things that we had to do was drill a new well.
And it is not cheap anywhere from 10 to $20,000.
And for a lot of homeowners and for a lot of folks out there, that is a huge expense that not a lot of people have that disposable income to afford right now.
No, no, especially now.
One of the other things as we are getting closer to the, I hate to say it, but the snow season is that you voted in favor of a 24 million reimbursement to counties for increased road salt costs during last winter.
Was there an excessive amount used last winter?
What's the reason for the 24 million reimbursement?
salt cost more than it did a few years ago.
We had a pretty, pretty eventful winter season with lots of big snow storms.
And so, you know, that certainly puts strains on, on local municipal budgets.
And so making sure that, you know, we're providing that relief act communities and ensuring that we've got safe roads when, when the snow starts flying, which hard to believe that we're probably not that far off from seeing our first snowflakes.
hit the badger state, but just making sure of that.
I'm glad you said it,
not me.
yes.
It's a good time to remind people to get those kits in your car, those winter kits.
It's a good thing to have here in Wisconsin.
Yes.
And then as far as like the salt goes, there is a lot of, I've seen recently, especially like salt-wise Wisconsin with programs of just the technology increasing of this is the best way to put salt on the road for a reduced amount of salt usage, but being able to keep the road safe.
Are there more programs like that for counties to invest in?
I
Wisconsin Rapids got an award for the amount of in, you know, like what they've done with their highway department here.
In fact, I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with one of their executive directors.
I think it was earlier in the legislative session in early 2025 and, you know, pretty innovative stuff about
you know, applicators and being smart with the resources that you have.
But on top of that, you see what other municipalities are doing.
So what I think is so cool, you know, we're known as the dairy state, right?
So we've got a lot of great dairy processors all across the state of Wisconsin.
And you're actually, you're seeing a lot of communities go to a, using a way byproduct.
So essentially, you know, the waste from the cheese making process that they're
being applied to roads that also helps reduce the use of salt that then goes back into our water tables and into our surface water.
I don't profess to be an expert on this issue by any means, but it is kind of fascinating just seeing the ingenuity that is coming out of some of these organizations like SaltWise to limit the use of salt on our roads, which ultimately is
good for our natural resources and it also provides a lot of relief for municipal budgets.
Yeah, and keeps our waterways not salty because we want fresh water, not salt water.
And then you recently is it you're on the job visit with Russell, Raisin and Sun Cranberry Martian Warrens.
Was that this last week or are you doing that next?
Gosh, I think that was on Tuesday.
And so Cranberries are one of Wisconsin's specialty crops.
We are the largest cranberry producer in the entire country, if not the entire world.
And as part of my On the Job series, where I go out and work a different job in the district for a day to highlight different opportunities and highlight some of the great companies that we have here in Central and Western Wisconsin.
And so this was probably my third or fifth cranberry related job.
If you have a lot of
them.
Yeah,
It's a ton of fun.
I'm not going to say it's not easy work by any means.
I mean, you work your tail off.
when you get in, when you're running the boom and you get out there and you're harvesting the cranberries up into the processor and into the trucks, a ton of work.
You can't be afraid of spiders, which I am terrified of, but you, you got to bite the bullet sometimes and when to help in hand.
And it's just, it's one of these industries, it's so unique.
And what's so, what I really find fascinating, I always learned something new, but so much of their equipment, because it's such a niche.
and specialty crop, most of the harvesting equipment, it is basically, it's crafted by hand, self-designed.
And it's just the ingenuity that goes into this and just seeing the process.
And even when you're running the rake in the tractor, I mean, the technology that they utilize, you got GPS satellites to ensure that you're raking and agitating the fairies, to maximize everything.
I mean,
It was super fun.
It was exhausting work, but I tell you, it was a gorgeous day in Warrens.
And I guess that's a really good plug for if you've never been to Cranfest in Warrens, it's coming up here next weekend.
Get out there.
You would be amazed, a small village of about 600 people, they get tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people, and it is all cranberries all the time, and it's an awesome event.
Mm-hmm, it is.
I actually, I went to high school in Tomah, so we would perform at Cranfest during the weekend when I was in Shoquire, so it's an amazing event.
There are a lot of people, and expect to wear your best walking shoes, because you will do a ton of walking.
Yes, indeed.
And what you can do with them, savory as well.
When you were doing your on-the-job, did you taste the cranberries fresh from the bog?
nothing like that.
They taste so good if you can handle tart.
kind
Black River Falls.
sort of the lead operator out there.
He was also with me on the job series and Warren's and talking about just some of the research that they're doing.
In fact, they're actually working with growers down in South America and Argentina, which when he told me that my first thought was, I didn't know they grew cranberries in South America.
He's like, honestly, this is a new market.
And for companies like Ocean Spray,
having the ability to grow year-round because obviously Argentina is in South America so you know when it's our summer it's there winter and vice versa so it's an opportunity to expand the cranberry market and you know that research is being done right here in the 24th senate district.
Yeah and that is fascinating I have gotten to visit there and just the research they're doing on how to how to
I guess genetically modify the cranberries to be more frost resistant and to be able to be pest resistant just in the plant themselves.
It's really fascinating.
Yeah, not just that, but then also, you know, being more efficient on the application of pesticides and fertilizers because obviously those are input costs that, you know, at the end of the day impact the operations bottom line, but also
more probably more importantly you know making sure that's again being good stewards of our natural resources finding new ways to be innovative and and harnessing better management practices and things of that nature and so you know just and this is all being driven by the farmers themselves I mean it's it's such a a tight-knit community and you know you talk to some of these these cranberry growers who have been in some cases like where I was at
Russell raising the sons, you know fifth generation.
This is what they do and the fact that they are still trying to find new ways to do it better and more efficiently It's it's just an awesome thing to see
and we here in Wisconsin produce the most cranberries and anywhere in the world
Yep, I think you are correct, Senator Tustin.
In our last minute here, let's just touch briefly on the workforce development grants because the deadline to apply is 3 p.m.
on October 5th, and there's approximately $5 million in workforce development funding available.
Let's talk about that briefly.
We know that we are facing a workforce shortage here in the state of Wisconsin.
And it's not because individuals are choosing not to work.
It's just that we have a Asian demographic.
And so as our baby boomers continue to retire and leave the workforce, that's creating a massive void.
And so that's one of the things that I've been so passionate about since I first entered the legislature is doing what we can to help with workforce development, whether that's through the apprenticeship program, the youth apprenticeships.
you know, providing opportunities for employers to invest in their workforce to retool and retrain workers, get them the certificates that they need.
As you know, as things continue to advance, that also means that we need to have a workforce that advances with the technological advances.
And so there's a lot of that are provided by the state that we have funded and made significant investments throughout the years.
And so
you know, there's a pot of money that's sitting out there at the Department of Workforce Development.
So, you know, if we've got employers in the area that are looking for assistance, looking for help, or employees that are looking for assistance and help, either contact my office or contact the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and learn how you can apply for these dollars and put them to good use and keep Wisconsin working and moving in the right direction.
Excellent.
Well, I'm Melissa Kay speaking with Senator Patrick Teston, who represents the 24th Senate District.
Thank you for taking the time to talk with me today, Patrick.
And thank you to listeners joining us for news in our community on Perspective 1320 AM, 97-5 FM WFHR.
You're listening to Perspective on WFHR 1320 AM, 975 FM.
I'm Melissa Kaye, bringing you news in our community.
During this interview, I'm talking with Senator Patrick Teston on Friday, September 18th.
Thank you for joining me, Patrick, to bring the community an update from the 24th Senate District.
me.
Great to talk to you again.
Well, let's start with a subject that a lot of people don't want to talk about right now.
Let's talk about money.
Gas prices are going through the roof and the price of diesel is skyrocketing, so the price of everything is going up.
But the state of Wisconsin has a projected surplus of $2.3 billion and a $2.1 billion rainy day fund.
Representative Scott Krug wants that money to go back to taxpayers.
You mentioned in a recent newsletter that the 2025-27 state budget will leave us an excellent financial shape in the future with the projected surplus and rainy day fund.
So what is happening with those funds, Patrick?
So actually, our financial stability is actually much stronger than it was even back in May when we tried to get a budget surplus deal and get that money out the door back to taxpayers.
more recently from our legislative fiscal bureau, which are basically our incredible being counters down to Madison.
We were sitting on roughly a $3 billion surplus.
And so, you know, back in May, if we had spent months negotiating with the legislature along with Governor Evers office, the trying crafty deal that would have returned that surplus back to the taxpayers, provide property tax relief, no tax on tips.
no tax on overtime, have a increase in the special education reimbursement going back to our public schools, which would actually help buy down property taxes.
We'll also provide more resources for those students that need it.
And yet we couldn't get that through the state senate.
A past assembly, when it came to the state senate, we had three of our senate republican colleagues vote no and every single senate democrat senator voted against that.
bill as well.
And so, you know, we are sitting on a very big surplus right now.
And I do think regardless of how things shake out between now and November 3rd, that money should go back to the taxpayers.
And however that deal is crafted, I am open to any and all conversations and possibilities.
But that is not the government's money.
That is the taxpayers' money.
And we should return it to where it's rightfully belonged.
Is there any hope that there would be movement on that before November or are politicians just focused on Election Day?
And as I've said, after the failed budget surplus deal in the state Senate that, you know, I'm willing to come back and do the job that we weren't able to get.
It's going to require two more senators on either side of the aisle to agree to return that money back to the taxpayers staff because there are so much focus and energy being devoted to potentially trying to flip the legislature.
We've got a gubernatorial election right now that is sucking up all the oxygen.
I just don't know if there's a political will because right now it's being used as political ammunition and campaign fodder for some of our friends and it's just
It's a missed opportunity and regardless of how things shake out, I still think we need to have an honest and hard conversation that that money belongs and deserves to go back to the taxpayers.
You also mentioned in your newsletter that this was your first session serving as chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Revenue.
The price of diesel is hurting our agriculture industry as we speak, and it's not looking like those prices are going to come down anytime soon.
It's also harvest season across the state.
How are farmers going to deal with these extremely high diesel prices?
And is there something the state legislature can do to help?
We don't exactly have control of the cost of diesel or the price of gas at the pump.
All these decisions are ultimately impact determined by decisions that are made out in DC.
But what we can control here in the state is making sure that we are doing what we can to provide relief, whether it's tax relief, property tax relief, continue to build upon the investments that we've done in previous budgets, whether it's the A-Rip program, the L-Rip program.
provided more grant dollars for our meat processors, our farmers to open up new markets.
And so that's what we're going to continue to be focused on as I've been going all across the state, helping out some of our candidates and some of the key seats that are going to determine control of the state Senate.
I mean, it is the affordability and the cost of living that is really moving the needle.
And that's where I think we have a prime opportunity here to deliver those results in our previous discussion of getting
our state surplus back up with people, the men and women who need it most, and certainly our farmers are at top of mind.
With the price of everything just going to continue to go up with diesel, there's a lot to talk about with getting those funds back to the constituents.
This is a conversation that I have every single time that I have the opportunity to meet.
and have a conversation with any of our congressional delegation that look, you know, obviously there's a lot of uncertainty with the war with Iran, but I think the sooner we can have a resolution to get ourselves out of that conflict and find a hopefully a peaceful end to that, hopefully that's going to provide some relief at the national level, which will obviously have a ripple effect for not just here in Wisconsin, but across the country.
Mm-hmm and across the world because those pipelines and those conduits for oil are not flowing right now,
I mentioned Representative Scott Krug earlier.
He brought up your name at Wednesday night's Planning Commission meeting in Wisconsin Rapids where they recommended denying the conditional use permit from PNK Group to build a data center on the old craft mill site.
Krug said that the two of you had created the Rapids Together Task Force in 2016 in an attempt to find a developer for the mill.
He said you're going to start that task force up again.
What conversations are happening at the legislative level about the mill site in Wisconsin Rapids?
Yeah, I mean, we're having those conversations right now and I'm hoping just like we did back in 2020 when the Rapids Mill, the announcement was made to go idle.
And it was really one of those, one of these defining moments within my time in the legislature where, you know, it was such a great experience where we had folks from the federal government, state government, local government, community organizations coming together to sit at the table and say, what steps do we have to take next?
Now, obviously with the actions that were taken by the planning commission, you know, I thought them, I think it was the right choice.
I don't think this particular developer is probably the best choice for the rapid site.
But at the same time, this is a site that has set a vacant for the better part of six years now.
And if we want to attract new opportunities to Wisconsin Rapids and Central Wisconsin at large, we need to find the right fit.
and the right home for the future of that site.
I'm hopeful as we continue these conversations, they're still very much in the preliminary stages right now that we can do what we did back in 2020 and pool all of our heads and resources together at the table and see what we can do and explore any and all avenues and opportunities for new development right here in Central Wisconsin.
And that site is, it has some particular challenges because it is zoned industrial.
We know that there is contamination in the ground.
Is there a hope that it can be anything besides an industrial site?
I don't know what the right answer is there.
I mean, obviously it's a Brownsfield area.
There is contamination.
It's going to take remediation.
It's going to take investment to clean up that site.
So whether it's
a manufacturing facility down the road or it gets rezoned into something different.
We just need to make sure that whatever actions are taken by the city that it's the right fit for the city and hopefully we find a willing partner that's going to invest in an area of the state that could certainly use a shot in the arm.
And as far as the data center conversations go, municipalities across the state are considering moratoriums or their outright like saying no data centers.
Some are welcoming them to the community.
There's plenty that are being built across the state.
What conversations are happening at the state level as far as maybe putting a pause on with concerns about.
the AI bubble potentially bursting?
Are there conversations happening at the state level as far as data centers?
In fact, there was legislation that, again, unfortunately, was unable to get through the legislature that would have created some guardrails for the development of data centers.
You know, my stance has been this.
It's pretty simple.
When I think about some of these developments and just some of the
the concern that has been raised by them is first and foremost, these should be discussed and negotiated out in the open public.
No nondisclosure agreements, making sure that rate payers are being protected, making sure that we're protecting our natural resources.
So whether it's a closed water loop system or some other type of technology that ensures that we aren't using up our water resources here in the state.
And again, most importantly, making sure that rate payers are protected.
And it's about making sure that whatever development is being proposed, it's the right fit for that community, which is why at the end of the day, it comes down to ensuring local control.
And a prime example, with the planning commission's actions that were taken earlier this week, they exercised that.
They looked at the plan.
They looked at the proposal and decided, this isn't a right fit for Wisconsin Rapids under this.
under this current developer.
And so, you know, I think this is a great example where, you know, there was a lot of folks who showed up and offered their testimony and their concerns and local officials and leaders, they took that to heart and they made the call that they believe was in the best interest for the community they
serve.
While this is a great spot for us to take a short pause to hear from our sponsors, I'm Alyssa Kay talking with Senator Patrick Teston, and you're listening to Perspective on 1320 a.m.
975 FM WFHR.
Welcome, you're listening to Perspective on WFHR 1320 AM 975 FM.
I'm Melissa Kay bringing you news in our community.
I'm speaking with Senator Patrick Teston and where we left off we were talking about a data center regulation and what the state can do at if the state can do anything at that level or
local control if that is what needs to happen.
Another thing that I noticed in one of your recent updates here was the joint finance committee of which you are, I believe the chairperson, yes?
Co-vice chair.
You were co-chair at one point in time, right?
Okay, okay.
But that you released?
$10 million for PFAS cleanup and remediation efforts, and that amount is in addition to the $130 million that was approved earlier in the 2025-26 legislative session.
Let's talk about PFAS for a minute.
They have been used in manufacturing and various products for decades, and unfortunately, as the science has evolved and research has,
uh evolved you know these do have some some detrimental health effects for individuals and unfortunately in key areas of the state uh we've seen wells have been contaminated uh we have seen uh properties essentially become completely devalued because the wells on those properties are contaminated PFAS and this is one of these moments where you know again
Despite some of the political differences that we have in Madison, where Republicans and Democrats were able to come together, Senator Eric Wimberger, formerly up in the Green Bay area, who represents Northeast Wisconsin, under the old maps, had the city of Marinette, my hometown, which became sort of the epicenter and ground zero for the PFAS discussion.
This is just the tip of the iceberg as it relates to what needs to be done to remediate and provide relief for homeowners and individuals who have been dealing with contamination for years.
And so my hope is no matter what happens this November that we'll continue to work across both sides of the aisle to provide relief for those homeowners and communities to ensure that when you go to your well, when you go to your tap that you have a surety that you have clean and safe drinking water.
Because digging a new well is not a cheap undertaking.
I know when we purchased our first home about 11 years ago, that was one of the first things that we had to do was drill a new well.
And it is not cheap anywhere from 10 to $20,000.
And for a lot of homeowners and for a lot of folks out there, that is a huge expense that not a lot of people have that disposable income to afford right now.
No, no, especially now.
One of the other things as we are getting closer to the, I hate to say it, but the snow season is that you voted in favor of a 24 million reimbursement to counties for increased road salt costs during last winter.
Was there an excessive amount used last winter?
What's the reason for the 24 million reimbursement?
salt cost more than it did a few years ago.
We had a pretty, pretty eventful winter season with lots of big snow storms.
And so, you know, that certainly puts strains on, on local municipal budgets.
And so making sure that, you know, we're providing that relief act communities and ensuring that we've got safe roads when, when the snow starts flying, which hard to believe that we're probably not that far off from seeing our first snowflakes.
hit the badger state, but just making sure of that.
I'm glad you said it,
not me.
yes.
It's a good time to remind people to get those kits in your car, those winter kits.
It's a good thing to have here in Wisconsin.
Yes.
And then as far as like the salt goes, there is a lot of, I've seen recently, especially like salt-wise Wisconsin with programs of just the technology increasing of this is the best way to put salt on the road for a reduced amount of salt usage, but being able to keep the road safe.
Are there more programs like that for counties to invest in?
I
Wisconsin Rapids got an award for the amount of in, you know, like what they've done with their highway department here.
In fact, I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with one of their executive directors.
I think it was earlier in the legislative session in early 2025 and, you know, pretty innovative stuff about
you know, applicators and being smart with the resources that you have.
But on top of that, you see what other municipalities are doing.
So what I think is so cool, you know, we're known as the dairy state, right?
So we've got a lot of great dairy processors all across the state of Wisconsin.
And you're actually, you're seeing a lot of communities go to a, using a way byproduct.
So essentially, you know, the waste from the cheese making process that they're
being applied to roads that also helps reduce the use of salt that then goes back into our water tables and into our surface water.
I don't profess to be an expert on this issue by any means, but it is kind of fascinating just seeing the ingenuity that is coming out of some of these organizations like SaltWise to limit the use of salt on our roads, which ultimately is
good for our natural resources and it also provides a lot of relief for municipal budgets.
Yeah, and keeps our waterways not salty because we want fresh water, not salt water.
And then you recently is it you're on the job visit with Russell, Raisin and Sun Cranberry Martian Warrens.
Was that this last week or are you doing that next?
Gosh, I think that was on Tuesday.
And so Cranberries are one of Wisconsin's specialty crops.
We are the largest cranberry producer in the entire country, if not the entire world.
And as part of my On the Job series, where I go out and work a different job in the district for a day to highlight different opportunities and highlight some of the great companies that we have here in Central and Western Wisconsin.
And so this was probably my third or fifth cranberry related job.
If you have a lot of
them.
Yeah,
It's a ton of fun.
I'm not going to say it's not easy work by any means.
I mean, you work your tail off.
when you get in, when you're running the boom and you get out there and you're harvesting the cranberries up into the processor and into the trucks, a ton of work.
You can't be afraid of spiders, which I am terrified of, but you, you got to bite the bullet sometimes and when to help in hand.
And it's just, it's one of these industries, it's so unique.
And what's so, what I really find fascinating, I always learned something new, but so much of their equipment, because it's such a niche.
and specialty crop, most of the harvesting equipment, it is basically, it's crafted by hand, self-designed.
And it's just the ingenuity that goes into this and just seeing the process.
And even when you're running the rake in the tractor, I mean, the technology that they utilize, you got GPS satellites to ensure that you're raking and agitating the fairies, to maximize everything.
I mean,
It was super fun.
It was exhausting work, but I tell you, it was a gorgeous day in Warrens.
And I guess that's a really good plug for if you've never been to Cranfest in Warrens, it's coming up here next weekend.
Get out there.
You would be amazed, a small village of about 600 people, they get tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people, and it is all cranberries all the time, and it's an awesome event.
Mm-hmm, it is.
I actually, I went to high school in Tomah, so we would perform at Cranfest during the weekend when I was in Shoquire, so it's an amazing event.
There are a lot of people, and expect to wear your best walking shoes, because you will do a ton of walking.
Yes, indeed.
And what you can do with them, savory as well.
When you were doing your on-the-job, did you taste the cranberries fresh from the bog?
nothing like that.
They taste so good if you can handle tart.
kind
Black River Falls.
sort of the lead operator out there.
He was also with me on the job series and Warren's and talking about just some of the research that they're doing.
In fact, they're actually working with growers down in South America and Argentina, which when he told me that my first thought was, I didn't know they grew cranberries in South America.
He's like, honestly, this is a new market.
And for companies like Ocean Spray,
having the ability to grow year-round because obviously Argentina is in South America so you know when it's our summer it's there winter and vice versa so it's an opportunity to expand the cranberry market and you know that research is being done right here in the 24th senate district.
Yeah and that is fascinating I have gotten to visit there and just the research they're doing on how to how to
I guess genetically modify the cranberries to be more frost resistant and to be able to be pest resistant just in the plant themselves.
It's really fascinating.
Yeah, not just that, but then also, you know, being more efficient on the application of pesticides and fertilizers because obviously those are input costs that, you know, at the end of the day impact the operations bottom line, but also
more probably more importantly you know making sure that's again being good stewards of our natural resources finding new ways to be innovative and and harnessing better management practices and things of that nature and so you know just and this is all being driven by the farmers themselves I mean it's it's such a a tight-knit community and you know you talk to some of these these cranberry growers who have been in some cases like where I was at
Russell raising the sons, you know fifth generation.
This is what they do and the fact that they are still trying to find new ways to do it better and more efficiently It's it's just an awesome thing to see
and we here in Wisconsin produce the most cranberries and anywhere in the world
Yep, I think you are correct, Senator Tustin.
In our last minute here, let's just touch briefly on the workforce development grants because the deadline to apply is 3 p.m.
on October 5th, and there's approximately $5 million in workforce development funding available.
Let's talk about that briefly.
We know that we are facing a workforce shortage here in the state of Wisconsin.
And it's not because individuals are choosing not to work.
It's just that we have a Asian demographic.
And so as our baby boomers continue to retire and leave the workforce, that's creating a massive void.
And so that's one of the things that I've been so passionate about since I first entered the legislature is doing what we can to help with workforce development, whether that's through the apprenticeship program, the youth apprenticeships.
you know, providing opportunities for employers to invest in their workforce to retool and retrain workers, get them the certificates that they need.
As you know, as things continue to advance, that also means that we need to have a workforce that advances with the technological advances.
And so there's a lot of that are provided by the state that we have funded and made significant investments throughout the years.
And so
you know, there's a pot of money that's sitting out there at the Department of Workforce Development.
So, you know, if we've got employers in the area that are looking for assistance, looking for help, or employees that are looking for assistance and help, either contact my office or contact the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and learn how you can apply for these dollars and put them to good use and keep Wisconsin working and moving in the right direction.
Excellent.
Well, I'm Melissa Kay speaking with Senator Patrick Teston, who represents the 24th Senate District.
Thank you for taking the time to talk with me today, Patrick.
And thank you to listeners joining us for news in our community on Perspective 1320 AM, 97-5 FM WFHR.