Dennis Vold: Kapanke helped with pay issues; La Crosse Tribune

10.19.2008

I would like to write a few words about your Sen. Dan Kapanke and tell you how special he is. I am the president of Local 219 at Black River Correctional Institution. When we had a problem dealing with some pay issues for our military personnel returning from Iraq this year, Sen. Kapanke was the only senator or representative who came to our aid.

While the other politicians gave me a little talk time, none of them inquired about what was going on with the treatment of our military personnel. Sen. Kapanke took our problems directly to Department of Corrections Secretary Rick Raemisch to help us in our attempt to resolve our issues. The very special part of this was how accessible Sen. Kapanke was to us. He met us at a Culver's restaurant to discuss our issues.

We were able to talk to him at our level, not in some Madison office. After our meeting at Culver's, I watched Sen. Kapanke talk to people there, dressed as he was dressed in blue jeans, actually talking to the average person on the street. He was the one discussing questions about their problems.

Sen. Kapanke has a deep concern for our fighting military men and women and was deeply concerned in the way they are being treated once they return home. He has called and e-mailed me at home to share his concerns about our military men and women.

I for one have always found his door is open for the average person to be heard.

Article Link: http://www.lacrossetribune.com/news/opinion/article_b8b14458-7274-5674-a824-6438820e86ec.html.