This post originally appeared at https://reforminggovernment.org/three-questions-with-rep-calvin-callahan-wisconsin-state-representative-district-35/

1.) What’s the biggest issue you’re hearing about from your constituents?

Traveling across the 35th Assembly District and throughout the state, something I hear a lot about is the state of our roads. Governor Evers campaigned on fixing our roads, but from what I can tell, the Northwoods were forgotten about. With today’s economy, it has become too difficult to afford more car repairs from driving on the roads. That is why I’ve continued to support local road funding every chance I’ve had, and even authored a budget motion this cycle to increase the connecting highway aid distribution rates to municipalities. I was glad to see the Joint Finance Committee approve this motion.

2.) If you were given the opportunity to enact one reform, what would it be?

Ben Franklin once said, “It is the working man who is the happy man. It is the idle man who is the miserable man.” Since the pandemic, and during my time in the State Assembly, something that has been important to my Republican colleagues and I has been getting folks off the sidelines and back to work. As a caucus, we have tried to promote accountability, prevent fraud and abuse in the system, and remove the disincentives that keep people out of the workforce. If I could enact one reform, it would be to overhaul our state’s welfare system and improve our workforce. This would help our economy and our small businesses across the state that have had ‘Help Wanted’ signs in their windows for too long.

3.) Tell us something that people don’t know about you?

Growing up, I initially wanted to be a part of the Wisconsin State Patrol. I’ve always felt a need to serve our state in some capacity and I have a deep respect for what members of our law enforcement do each and every day. Serving Wisconsin in state government is a role in which I could serve both the state and our men and women in law enforcement.