Maia Pearson and Shelia Stubbs are running in Assembly District 78. The district is currently represented by Democrat Lisa Subeck who is running unopposed in the 79th Assembly District. There are no Republicans on the ballot, so the primary winner is almost certain to win in November. The district includes parts of south and east Madison, the city of Monona, and part of McFarland.
Maia Pearson
Maia Pearson’s responses:
What are your goals for your first/next term in office should you be elected?
My goals for the first term is to increase the state ‘s share of Public Education (K-12) funding, work with other legislators to start to repeal act 10 and abortion laws, work to expand healthcare, and work to have better investments in our higher education systems.
Please describe your qualifications and what sets you apart from your fellow candidates.
I am a proud third generation South Madisonian, a working mother of three teenagers, and currently serve as the Vice President of Madison’s Board of Education. Most of my career has been focused on youth development, advocating for affordable and accessible college, as well as voter rights. I have over a decade of experience working in collaboration with community members and organizations, businesses, local, state, and national elected to tackle issues like: the underinvestment of public education, the dismantling of worker rights, the housing crisis, and education and action on environmental justice just to name a few. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a degree in International Relations. My priority while in office is to work in collaboration on public education investment, worker rights, economic development, housing, environmental justice, and reproductive rights. Ultimately working on ensuring that ALL Wisconsinites have access to the American dream. What sets me apart is that collaboration and being in service to the community as the foundation of the work I do. I am the product of the community’s investment, which can be seen through the work I have done to organize and mobilize thousands of young people in the electoral process at our colleges and universities, through my experience and work as a PEOPLE scholar, the work I’ve done to ensure communities have affordable housing and much more.
While UW-Madison is situated in Dane County, its role as an economic engine it benefits the entire state. UW-Madison also has unique needs that are different from the other Universities of Wisconsin. Please tell us how you would represent UW-Madison in the Legislature and encourage your colleagues from outside Dane County to understand the statewide benefit of a strong UW-Madison?
The University of Wisconsin, Madison is our system’s flagship university and has, for many years, lived up to its statewide, national, and international mission. As a Dane County legislator and alumna of the university, especially one potentially entering the assembly at such a pivotal time where our relationship with higher education has been strained for many years, it will be important to implement an open door policy in my office for staff, faculty, students, and administrators alike. The best advocates for the UW are those who understand the role it plays in our communities. And as policy maker, I will commit to being responsive and accountable to those who know the university better than I do. Only then can I truly encourage my future colleagues from elsewhere in the state to find their community connection to UW-Madison.
State funding for higher education has fallen dramatically over the past several decades, resulting in a dependence on tuition and fundraising to replace decreased state support. A ten-year long tuition freeze coupled with previous state budget cuts has forced UW-Madison to make serious cuts, while other UW System campuses face devastating budget shortfalls. How would you address these concerns if elected?
It’s no secret that our state has come up short on supporting the Universities of Wisconsin to the level that matches the immense amount of benefit they provide all of our communities. As recently as April, financial reviews show that the Universities are facing deficits and liquidity issues, and that any continuation of our status quo funding-wise will result in an increasingly weakened system. It is past time for Wisconsin legislators to supplement their belief that our schools and their impact are worth the investment needed to maintain and better our campuses with action. As a legislator, I will commit to not only fighting for the increased funding levels proposed by Governor Tony Evers in the next biennial budget, but for a rigorous reevaluation of our current financial environment in order to avoid this same Republican-led austerity in the future. We can only fully address these budget shortfalls if we commit to avoiding budgeting on the backs of our students, faculty, and staff in the future. If elected as a legislator and a friend of the Universities of Wisconsin, I will always look to increase our state investment rather than hurting those who make our schools what they are. The war on higher education in Wisconsin has got to stop.
The current legislative majorities have worked to delegitimize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Legislators have forced the university to reclassify DEI positions and a legislative audit of UW DEI programs is underway. UW-Madison as an institution understands diversity to be a value that is inextricable from its other values, including educational and research excellence. Tell us about your legislative priorities on diversity, racial justice, and their relation to the values you hold related to higher education.
As a Black woman, an alumna of UW-Madison, a PEOPLE scholar, a mother of prospective college students, and a public education and racial justice advocate, it broke my heart to see the cynical political games Republican legislators played with our Universities this past session. Their war on DEI was a distraction tactic; aimed at covering up their decades long financial abandonment of our system with culture war cheap shots that sought to disenfranchise our most vulnerable students and vilify the faculty and staff that support them. As the Vice President of the Madison Metropolitan School District’s Board of Education, I have always stressed the importance of creating systems of belonging in our public schools. I know that necessitates a dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and not just on the university level but on the state level as well. If elected into office, I will use my platform to reaffirm the value and integrity of DEI and counter any legislative attacks on our marginalized university communities. We need strong, loud advocates for our BIPOC, disabled, veteran, and LGBTQ+ Wisconsinites, and I have been and will continue to play that role in elected office.
I also do not believe in simply paying lip service to DEI and racial justice. We need to back up our values with the necessary investments to bridge our equity gaps and as a legislator, I will look to collaborate with groups like PROFS and university officials in identifying where we must increase our support for DEI in higher education.
Wisconsin ranks near the bottom of state funding for four-year post-secondary education, while state funding for two-year technical education is among the best in the country. How would you address this disparity in the Legislature?
The majority party in our state legislature has waged a decade-long war on public education and we are currently dealing with the fallout of their cynical, partisan politicization of higher education in Wisconsin. This disparity is deliberately manufactured and can only be remedied by a rejection of the Scott Walker era tactic to make our Universities less comprehensive and less effective.
As a legislator, I will follow the lead of higher education professionals in our state advocating for increased funding and making our Universities whole for the money that has been taken off of their budgets previously.
I’m also dedicated to learning more about how higher education is funded in Wisconsin and will keep myself informed of the financial environment of our UW Madison campus and other schools across our state.
Work on the 2025-27 state budget will begin shortly after legislators are sworn into office. What are your funding priorities?
If elected to represent the 78th assembly district, I will immediately seek to meet with the office of Governor Tony Evers to advocate for increased funding for the Universities of Wisconsin and the inclusion of PFML in his 2025-2027 biennial budget proposal. I plan on working closely with future colleagues on the Joint Finance Committee to chart a plan of action for advocating for these budget provisions as standalone bills in the case that they are not taken up by the majority party during the budget cycle.
Additionally, I would like to explore how we can reverse the delegitimization of DEI through legislative action. And of course, I will remain open to hearing from my constituents and those at UW-Madison about their legislative priorities and will work to incorporate them in my legislative agenda.
PROFS has long advocated for paid family leave for all employees and is pleased that UW-Madison and the Universities of Wisconsin recently approved a modest six-week paid parental leave benefit. We believe this is just the first step and more needs to be done. Will you support initiatives like those offered by Governor Evers that would expand paid leave to state employees and create a paid leave insurance program for public and most private sector employees in the state?
Yes. I was heartened to see Governor Evers’ historic inclusion of paid leave in his budget proposal and the subsequent bill introduced by legislative democrats that would establish a paid family and medical leave insurance program and expand the family and medical leave law in Wisconsin.
It is unacceptable that currently about 76% of Wisconsin workers do not have access to paid leave through their employer. With the seismic social and economic shifts that have happened since and leading up to the Covid 19 pandemic, now more than ever, our working Wisconsinites need help.
I will support and lead on PFML efforts in the legislature if elected into office because I believe that a statewide PFML policy is more than just a progressive proposal; it is a strategic investment in the prosperity and resilience of our communities, including those in our university system. By acknowledging the diverse needs of Wisconsin families and prioritizing their well-being, we create a society that values both work and life, fostering a more balanced and sustainable future for everyone.
Shelia Stubbs
Shelia Stubbs’ responses:
What are your goals for your first/next term in office should you be elected?
I am a trailblazer, a proven leader and a strong, effective voice for the values we share and for which we must fight: defending access to abortion, supporting our public schools and the UW, equal pay for women and economic opportunity for all, reforming the criminal justice system, protecting our environment, and electing Democrats up and down the ballot to change the direction of our State.
Please describe your qualifications and what sets you apart from your fellow candidates.
We have a unique opportunity now in Wisconsin with the new, fair maps. We can change the direction of our state. We need experienced, strong leaders to move forward on the values we share. We need leaders who can get things done. In the State Legislature, I have a proven track record of getting results: I have authored more than 25 bills that have been signed into law. My record in making change happen is unmatched in this race. That is why Governor Tony Evers, Planned Parenthood, WEAC, Adelante, the Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Former Dane County Executive Joe Parisi, Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett, Former Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney, Madison School Board Member Nick Vander Meulen, Former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, and many others have endorsed me.
While UW-Madison is situated in Dane County, its role as an economic engine it benefits the entire state. UW-Madison also has unique needs that are different from the other Universities of Wisconsin. Please tell us how you would represent UW-Madison in the Legislature and encourage your colleagues from outside Dane County to understand the statewide benefit of a strong UW-Madison.
Our University of Wisconsin system is a critical component in the future of our workforce, and we must increase our funding of the system to the necessary level, so that we may continue offering high-quality programming and preparing our next generation of professionals for success. That is the message I have been sharing with my colleagues repeatedly, as the current Representative for the district that includes UW Madison and as a member of the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities. The connection between funding the UW and our future is unmistakable and it is a connection some of my colleagues do not make. Further, and unfortunately, some legislators believe it is better to score political points by disparaging the University than to roll up their sleeves and support it. With new, fair maps we have the chance to change the make-up of the legislature and that is why I am working to help elect other Democrats all around the State.
State funding for higher education has fallen dramatically over the past several decades, resulting in a dependence on tuition and fundraising to replace decreased state support. A ten-year long tuition freeze coupled with previous state budget cuts has forced UW-Madison to make serious cuts, while other UW System campuses face devastating budget shortfalls. How would you address these concerns if elected?
As a member of the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities. I enthusiastically support funding our UW system. We must attract and retain students and provide them with the world-class education we are known for. I have supported measures to fund the UW System, and I have also backed bills that make attending UW schools more affordable for our students, such as Assembly Bill 990, which would create a new grant program to provide “last dollar” awards to economically disadvantaged students whose tuition and segregated fee expenses are not fully met by other scholarships or grants.
The current legislative majorities have worked to delegitimize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Legislators have forced the university to reclassify DEI positions and a legislative audit of UW DEI programs is underway. UW-Madison as an institution understands diversity to be a value that is inextricable from its other values, including educational and research excellence. Tell us about your legislative priorities on diversity, racial justice, and their relation to the values you hold related to higher education.
Wisconsin remains dead last in the nation for racial equity in education, yet some members of our legislature continue to crusade against measures that would promote the success and well-being of our students of color. DEI provides us with a foundation to ensure all at our universities feel welcome and can thrive. In order to create a future where people of all backgrounds have truly equal access to opportunities through all walks of life, we need to dismantle and disrupt the policies and systems that create barriers for our marginalized community members.
Wisconsin ranks near the bottom of state funding for four-year post-secondary education, while state funding for two-year technical education is among the best in the country. How would you address this disparity in the Legislature?
We must continue to advocate for, and introduce, legislation that increases our investment in the UW system. We must elect legislators this fall who understand the importance of the UW and who recognize the connection between the success of the UW and our success as a State. I have been a consistent and vocal advocate for more funding for the UW System, including pay raises for UW employees and funding for building projects and improvements. I was a strong advocate for adding to the System’s overall budget request.
Work on the 2025-27 state budget will begin shortly after legislators are sworn into office. What are your funding priorities?
Invest in public schools and the UW System. Invest in criminal justice reform. Invest in closing gaps in education, employment, health care including maternal and infant health created by disparities. Invest in expanding access to health care. Invest in increasing access to safe, affordable childcare.
PROFS has long advocated for paid family leave for all employees and is pleased that UW-Madison and the Universities of Wisconsin recently approved a modest six-week paid parental leave benefit. We believe this is just the first step and more needs to be done. Will you support initiatives like those offered by Governor Evers that would expand paid leave to state employees and create a paid leave insurance program for public and most private sector employees in the state?
Absolutely yes!