Dear Neighbors,
My name is David Liners, and I’m a Democrat running to represent Oak Creek, Milwaukee, and Greenfield in the Wisconsin State Assembly 21st District.
I’m running because families are feeling squeezed by rising property taxes, utility bills, healthcare costs, and child care expenses, and it doesn’t have to be this way. I believe we can take bold action to give property taxpayers a break, fully fund our public schools, lower energy, healthcare, and child care costs, protect our environment, and take a smarter approach to public safety.
To make that happen, we also need to ensure that the wealthy and corporations finally pay their fair share. As your representative, I will work tirelessly to help make Wisconsin a place where everyone has a fair chance to live the American Dream.
I grew up in Watertown, Wisconsin, and am a proud graduate of Watertown High School (Go Goslings!) and Marquette University. My education continued in Chicago, where I earned a Doctor of Ministry degree.
My wife, Julie Clark, and I have lived in the same home near Howard and Howell in Milwaukee for nearly 30 years. During that time, we raised two children, three dogs, and three cats. Our son and daughter received excellent educations in our public schools, while the dogs and cats were homeschooled. Julie spent more than 25 years as a Milwaukee Public Schools teacher and later worked at Literacy Services of Wisconsin, training and coordinating volunteers who helped immigrants learn English.
Before moving to Milwaukee, I served for about twelve years as a Catholic priest on Chicago’s south side, primarily in large Mexican parishes. I eventually left that vocation because I wanted to build a family. Julie and I remain active, practicing Catholics, and my commitment to justice, compassion, and community is deeply rooted in my faith.
For the past 28 years, I’ve worked as a community organizer, first as Lead Organizer of MICAH and later as Executive Director and Lead Organizer of WISDOM, a statewide network of faith-based organizations. Together, we brought people of many traditions, Jewish, Muslim, Baptist, Unitarian, Catholic, Lutheran, Buddhist, Methodist, and more, to work across differences and take action on shared values.
My forty years of service and community-building have been a gift. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside inspiring people across Wisconsin, and I’m excited for this next chapter. I look forward to partnering with the people of the 21st Assembly District to make our state the place we know it can be.
I look forward to meeting you, listening to your concerns, and earning your vote on August 11 and November 3. Visit our vote page to learn more about the election.
David Liners