To the Editor:

Get out and vote!

As a longtime business owner, I had never discussed politics. I did not share my preferences with friends or family, as politics can be so divisive. I have learned if I do not speak, many will continue to vote for those that are paving the way for our water being sold out from under us. Let’s unify and vote FOR saving out water, air, property values and peace if mind.

Four years and five months ago, when the Wysocki Companies announced their backdoor plan of siting a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO), I found I was forced out of my comfort zone where politics are concerned. You see, this problem started in Madison and must be fixed in Madison. We were immediately told we could not stop the miles of forested, recreational land from being cleared for the CAFO, cropland/manure dumping in permeable sand. We were told the 49 high capacity wells that would irrigate 7.3 billion gallons of water from the aquifer, from which 5,200 residents draw drinking water from shallow private wells Saratoga, would not our water quality and quantity. We have proof this is not the case.

I sat on Scott Krug’s Citizen Water Advisory Committee, along with many concerned residents from surrounding lakes districts and irrigators. My communication had not been comfortable with our District 72 Assemblyman prior to attending these meetings, but this wasn’t about me. My observations and serious concerns were called rhetoric by Rep. Krug and I was told we had no choice but to accept our fate, as our Saratoga Town Board had not zoned to keep something like this out of our community. Does that mean we all deserve to lose many of the reasons we chose to live in Saratoga? Wysocki had not even purchased the land, but HE HAD RIGHTS. WHAT ABOUT OUR RIGHTS?

Working on legislation on Krug’s (CWAC) was frustrating, at best. Cancelled meetings, lack of communication, long lapses in between meetings and finally, the framework for the legislation we had supposedly contributed to was so far from anything I had participated in creating. We were not allowed to look at copies of the framework we had contributed to. Quite frankly, the proposed legislation appeared to be influenced mostly by irrigators, leaving little provision for those of us that rely on the same water for drinking and property values. We have now seen all provisions for cumulative impact assessment of high capacity wells, along with protections for public rights stage of waters of the state and private well protections scrapped from law. We fought hard for these things and these important items were lost. The irrigators have been catered to at a cost to the majority, with what I believe to be Scott Krug’s cooperation. There are many other issues, such as, Rep. Krug being the deciding vote on a BAD water Bill coming out of committee. When that Bill reached the Assembly floor, Krug Voted against the Bill that contained his own amendments!

I actually do not dislike Scott Krug, I just believe he is misguided by the money pouring into his campaign from special interests. I will vote for David Gorski and I hope you will, also. Dave is willing to go up against special interests and fight for what is right for the majority. I will also stand with District 24 Senator Julie Lassa. Patrick Testin, her opponent, is the handpicked candidate of the Wysocki family and other industrialized row crop irrigators. Senator Lassa works across the aisle in doing what is right for the majority of her constituents. She has stood by Saratoga and I thank her for her support. She certainly has mine!

Please vote to preserve Saratoga, Rome and the surrounding areas. Vote Sen. Julie Lassa and Dave Gorski for Assembly!

Rhonda Carrell
Rome, WI