Jay Schmelling
For Wisconsin State Assembly - 35TH District
Blog
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From the Antigo Daily Journal
Posted Jun 01 at 7 AM
Jay Schmelling seeks local Assembly post
Jay Schmelling has succeeded at everything he’s tried. Now he wants to give something back. As he likes to say, he wants to go from making money to making a difference.
And he wants to do it in the state legislature.
Schmelling, a Merrill Democrat, was recently in Antigo to meet with party members and announce his candidacy for the 35th District assembly seat currently held by Republican Don Friske.
A plumber and the son of a plumber, Schmelling became executive director of Wisconsin Pipe Trades (WPT) in 1998. He has done everything from farming to selling vacuum cleaners, but he considers his experience as the union’s top deal-maker to be his most important qualification for public office.
As the head of WPT, Schmelling learned to build consensus. And it’s his ability to unify that he hopes will help invigorate a statehouse too often paralyzed by its own polarity.
“What the legislature lacks is the ability to work together,” Schmelling said.
“If you’re positioned to negotiate to your advantage, it’s good. Right now, it’s all about winning battles at the expense of the other party. None of us wins when that happens, because nothing gets done.”
Born in Kenosha, Schmelling moved to Lincoln County in 1973 and purchased a farm near the town of Corning. He and his wife Debbie currently live in the town of Pine River.
“I grew up around farms and worked on them in the summers,” Schmelling said.
“Everything revolved around negotiation. When the survival of your business centers around that, it can be daunting, and I think most farmers understand that. The experience taught me some things. Like the importance of being in the best position possible.”
Schmelling says he understands the popular frustration over legislative gridlock, and he believes he can shortcut the kind of partisanship that nearly derailed passage of the 2008 budget.
“If we’re going to have the party bosses making the calls on how the votes are going down, do we really need to pay everyone else to be there?” he asked.
“It took a year and a half to get the budget done because they were trying so hard to make each other look bad, at the expense of the people. What bothered me most was that when the session ended, there was a lot left undone.”
Like many voters, Schmelling disdains hatchet politics, and he’s hopeful that his conciliatory style will open some blocked channels.
“A good idea is a good idea, I don’t care where it comes from,” he said. “A bad idea is a bad idea. We ought to be debating the issues and not just voting the party line. I negotiated on the same contracts representing both sides. It’s all about doing your best for the people you represent.”
One of Schmelling’s favorite ideas is a renewable fuels standard. He insists that spiraling energy costs and demand for alternative fuels spells opportunity for north-central Wisconsin.
“The country is committed to using biofuels,” he said. “All around us are states that have committed to these standards. But the capital investment is only going to be made in states that have made the commitment. If we don’t pass a renewable fuels standard, we in Wisconsin will become a net importer.”
If pumping for economic development makes him sound less like a liberal Democrat than a pro-business Republican, Schmelling says that’s a problem with outmoded labels. Too often, he argues, politics trump practicality. And practically speaking the 35th District needs jobs.
“Biofuels revolve around forestry products,” he said.
“I would rather see (production) sooner than later, before we lose any more pulp mills. It would be in our best interest to bring this to the 35th District. We need the jobs. And we’re competing with 49 other states for it.”
According to Schmelling, the first step includes getting politicians to loosen their lock-step loyalties to party lines.
“I believe I can make a difference and I’ve demonstrated it across a 30-year career in business,” he said. -
Merrill Democrat Enters Assembly Race
Posted May 06 at 9 AM
Merrill Democrat enters Assembly race
Jay Schmelling of Merrill announced Saturday that he will be a candidate for the 35th Assembly District which covers Lincoln County along with parts of Langlade, Oneida and Marathon counties. The venue for his announcement was the United States 7th Congressional District, Democratic Convention held at Chippewa Falls High School.
Schmelling was introduced to the delegation, including members from the 35th Assembly District by Sen. Pat Krietlow (D- Chippewa Falls). He spoke prior to the keynote address given by Congressman Dave Obey (D-Wausau).
Schmelling cited the loss of family supporting jobs and the subsequent loss to small business owners as a primary concern of his campaign. "Job loss is a contributing factor in the declining enrollment of our schools," he said, "and that is an issue being tackled by school boards all across our district.
"A middle class economy doesn't just happen." he added. "It takes strong leadership on the part of our legislators, as well as the integrity and courage to do the right thing."
Schmelling said he is more optimistic about the future of second-generation biofuels than what you see portrayed by big oil in the media. "I am excited about the potential that next generation bio-fuels technology can hold for us here in north central Wisconsin. I want to be a part of unlocking that potential and I look forward to having that discussion with my friends and neighbors as I campaign across the district."
Jay resides with his wife Debbie in Lincoln County in the Town of Pine River near the Langlade and Marathon county lines. They have four adult children, and in June, they are anticipating the arrival of their third grandchild. The couple attend St. John the Baptist Parish in Bloomville where Jay serves on the Maintenance Committee, sings in the choir and is entering his seventh year as director of the Parish carnival. He is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Pipe Trades Association and is a participating member of Wisconsin's Bio-Industry Alliance and its Bio-Power Sub-Committee.
