Rick preview/recaps Crowley interview

Crowley enters, asked about city administrator

Housing

Pulling away from other democratic canddiates

Handling GOP ending work for 2026 in Feb.

Data centers

Crowley on Tom Tiffany

Before we get into it with David Crowley, since the interview was recorded a day prior to going live on air, I start things off with a a bit of a recap / preview of our conversation, and throw a little theory of mine out there on how AI data centers going up all over the place is likened to the 2013 Tom Cruise movie, Oblivion.

As for Crowley, he stops in the studio and we discuss everything from housing challenges and budget management to Wisconsin and data centers, plus how he sets himself apart in a crowded field of candidates running for Wisconsin governor.

But, since he’s the Milwaukee County Executive, and the city of La Crosse has been in a two-year debate on hiring an administrator, we selfishly started right there — on his job and his thoughts on how that position might fit in a city like La Crosse.

From there, we got into Republicans in the state Legislature deciding to end work for the year on Feb. 19 — and what Crowley might do in this situation if he was governor right now. Would he publicly call out the early adjournment or would he be more like Giannis Antetokounmpo, and handle the situation mostly behind closed doors?

We also brought up what seems like the word of the year: affordability. Crowley talks about how a state can manage costs vs. how the feds might handle things. That got us into how housing density can reduce the property tax burden and fuel economic development.

We also spent a lot of time on data centers. Crowley balances the conversation here, defending the environment and the need for transparency while highlighting the potential for these companies to pay their way by upgrading the state's power grid and expanding broadband. The conversation digs into whether those trade-offs are worth it, especially considering the noise, the drain on resources, and the fact that these massive buildings provide very few jobs once they’re actually running.

Lastly, since he’s one of seven major Democratic candidates, along with the lone Republican running for governor, Crowley is asked what sets himself apart. He points to his "receipts" in Madison — specifically the passage of Act 12 — to show he has the executive experience to actually negotiate with a Republican Legislature. We finish the conversation by looking to the general election and his potential opponent, US House Rep. Tom Tiffany, whom Crowley characterizes as a "lapdog" for national interests.

Before we get into it with David Crowley, since the interview was recorded a day prior to going live on air, I start things off with a a bit of a recap / preview of our conversation, and throw a little theory of mine out there on how AI data centers going up all over the place is likened to the 2013 Tom Cruise movie, Oblivion.
As for Crowley, he stops in the studio and we discuss everything from&nbsp;housing challenges and budget management to Wisconsin and data centers, plus how he sets himself apart in a crowded field of candidates running for Wisconsin governor.
But, since he&rsquo;s the Milwaukee County Executive, and the city of La Crosse has been in a two-year debate on hiring an administrator, we selfishly started right there &mdash; on his job and his thoughts on how that position might fit in a city like La Crosse.
From there, we got into Republicans in the state Legislature deciding to end work for the year on Feb. 19 &mdash; and what Crowley might do in this situation if he was governor right now. Would he publicly call out the early adjournment or would he be more like Giannis Antetokounmpo, and handle the situation mostly behind closed doors?
We also brought up what seems like the word of the year: affordability. Crowley talks about how a state can manage costs vs. how the feds might handle things. That got us into how housing density can reduce the property tax burden and fuel economic development.
We also spent a lot of time on data centers. Crowley balances the conversation here, defending the environment and the need for transparency while highlighting the&nbsp;potential for these companies to pay their way by upgrading the state's power grid and expanding broadband. The conversation digs into whether those trade-offs are worth it, especially considering the noise, the drain on resources, and the fact that these massive buildings provide very few jobs once they&rsquo;re actually running.
Lastly, since he&rsquo;s one of seven major Democratic candidates, along with the lone Republican running for governor, Crowley is asked what sets himself apart. He points to his "receipts" in Madison &mdash; specifically the passage of Act 12 &mdash; to show he has the executive experience to actually negotiate with a Republican Legislature. We finish the conversation by looking to the general election and his potential opponent, US House Rep. Tom Tiffany, whom Crowley characterizes as a "lapdog" for national interests.

Listener conversations about the days events in and around the La Crosse area.  Weekdays from 5-6pm on WIZM 1410AM and 92.3FM

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Rick Solem talks about the days events in and around the La Crosse area. Weekdays from 5:07-6pm on 1410 WIZM

Rick Solem talks about the days events in and around the La Crosse area. Weekdays from 5:07-6pm on 1410 WIZM