Contact: John Imes, 608-712-7898 imes4assembly@gmail.com
Voters Should Have Direct Say in Assembly Seat Being Vacated by Terese Berceau
MADISON – Touting his unique background and track-record for working effectively to solve problems and getting things done, John Imes announced today his candidacy for the State Assembly in a letter to voters in the 77th Assembly District. Imes is seeking the seat being vacated by Terese Berceau who is retiring.
“Wisconsin needs a solid, new direction,” said Imes, “We’ve become a low-road state with policies that favor well-connected interests over the environment, workers, and our communities. I’m running to replace that extreme and divisive agenda with high-road, progressive policies.”
Imes also emphasized the importance of having an open, competitive primary. “Voters in the 77th deserve a vigorous primary campaign to clarify the issues, meet the candidates and consider their track-records before they have a direct say on who will represent them in the legislature.”
Imes is Executive Director of Wisconsin Environmental Initiative, a nonprofit he co-founded over 20 years ago. As an elected Board Trustee for the Village of Shorewood Hills since 2012, John also serves as President Pro Tem, Personnel Committee Chair and is a member of the Plan Commission and Joint Campus Area Committee. John also serves on the Monroe Street Merchants Association Board and as an adviser to several initiatives including the Edgewood College, Social Innovation and Sustainability Leadership Program, the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters Climate & Energy Leadership Network and the Greater Madison Vision Steering Committee. John and his wife Cathie also own the Arbor House, an award-winning model for sustainable tourism located on Monroe Street. The Imes have four children – Jack, Cora, Ben, and Grace.
The 77th Assembly District includes much of Madison’s west and south sides, including the Dudgeon-Monroe, Regent, Sunset Village, Nakoma, Westmoreland, University Hill Farms, Spring Harbor, Midvale Heights, and Orchard Ridge neighborhoods, the Village of Shorewood Hills, plus Bay Creek, Arbor Hills, Leopold, and other neighborhoods along South Park St. and the Lake Monona shoreline. The date for the primary election is Tuesday, August 14th.
Dear Friends,
State Representative Terese Berceau has made it official that she’s retiring after 20 years of public service where she took the lead on many issues including health care, reproductive rights, stem cell research, economic justice and the rights of seniors and the disabled.
I hope to build on that legacy as I begin a run for State Representative for the 77th Assembly District that includes neighborhoods on much of Madison’s west and south sides. Voters deserve a vigorous primary campaign to clarify issues, meet the candidates and evaluate their track-record to be an effective representative for the District.
Wisconsin needs a solid, new direction. We’ve become a low-road state with policies that favor well-connected interests over the environment, workers, and our communities. I’m running to replace that extreme and divisive agenda with high-road policies that protect women’s rights and voters’ rights, support our teachers and public schools, revitalize the UW and the Wisconsin Idea, ensure more affordable health care, and restore Wisconsin’s environmental heritage and good government tradition.
As an elected official, nonprofit leader and responsible small business owner, I bring a unique background and a track-record for working effectively to solve problems and getting things done.
Despite state imposed challenges to our budget and local decision-making, we made sure that workers were compensated fairly as valued partners who find cost-effective ways of providing services. As one of only four municipalities in Wisconsin to obtain a “AAA” credit rating, we found ways to “take care of our own” while keeping tax rates low and maintaining long-term financial sustainability.
As a nonprofit leader, I’ve worked over 20 years to improve the environment, economy, and quality of Wisconsin through initiatives that promote responsible business practices, sound environmental policy, green building and water stewardship. We need an economy that works for everyone, invests in innovative policies, clean technologies, and technical training to close the skills gap.
As a small business owner, I know first-hand what it takes to manage a budget, grow a business and make a payroll every week. Providing a livable fair wage, family-friendly benefits, work-life balance, education and training opportunities are examples of the high-road policies we need to advance across Wisconsin.
We need to empower more entrepreneurship, particularly for women, immigrants, and people of color to help reduce social/economic disparities and provide well paying, accessible jobs for low-income households.
I also understand the importance of listening to voters and will take a cooperative, practical and effective approach to solving problems. Working with colleagues, I voted for resolutions in support of our public schools and reducing carbon emissions to mitigate climate change; and I opposed efforts to restrict voting rights and dismantle Wisconsin’s good government tradition.
In short, we need to end the extreme divisiveness and inaction of today’s state politics and work diligently to enact the high-road, progressive policies to make Wisconsin a more vibrant and sustainable state again.
Thank you very much for your contributions to the success of our community and for your support!
Sincerely yours,
John
