I’ve been to all three forums, read numerous questionnaires and talked with all of the candidates and can only come to one conclusion.
Here’s the three forums.
Here’s the questionaire that sealed my decision.
There are other resources too, Cap Times did pod casts, Channel 15 did profiles, State Journal did 20 questions and profiles (click at your own risk!) and just about every other media outlet did some coverage, but the candidates failed to drum up the level of excitement one might expect.
There is no candidate that I am backing 100%, since I see shortcomings in all of the candidacies, but there is a clear winner in my mind. If we had instant run off voting, this is how I would vote and why.
1. Paul Soglin
Endorsements – So, I endorsed against him in 2006, he endorsed against me in 2009, I supported him in 2010 over Cieslewicz and am once again coming to the conclusion he is the best of the candidates to lead the city at this time. I’ve been slow to support since I was waiting to see what the other candidates might come up with, but none of them were able to convince me to vote for them.
Experience – His experience alone is probably enough for me. I can’t imagine any of the other candidates leading the city, simply because I haven’t seen them lead in their roles in the community that I have seen. The other candidates all have had their moments, but the consistency isn’t there. The mayor is consistent in his support for the city in ways that I can’t imagine from the other candidates and his knowledge, which can be irritating when it comes out as a history lesson/lecture, can’t be matched by others.
Can’t get along – I don’t care. So what, he’s prickly and doesn’t get along with the council. I think that’s ok. Of course, many might say the same about me. He challenges the council at all the right times. I see him as someone you can disagree with one day and agree with on another and that’s ok. He’s old school. The council subscribes to the Cieslewicz style of “nice guy” politics, which is dangerous if you ask me. I’d rather have someone be honest and straight forward about things and who openly disagrees with you instead of stabs you in the back while being nice.
Has the right values – Billboards, Uber/Lyft, Poverty, Champion for Neighborhoods, took on the Edgewater and Overture and most of all, is the first mayor to do something meaningful on affordable housing in the last two decades (housing plan, hired housing policy staff, hired a great CDA director, created a housing fund that gets regular funding, embracing Housing First, plus the Rethke and Tree Lane projects). Mayor Bauman was anti-affordable housing/section 8/poor people, Cielewicz paid it lip service when it benefitted him during election. Mayor Soglin actually is doing something.
Like to stick his foot in his mouth – ugh. My one hesitation. Bus tickets out of town for the homeless? Judge Doyle Square obsession. TIF for his developer buddies.
Bottom line, the good outweighs the bad and his experience trumps the bad issues. I’m not a 100% backer and I’m sure I’ll be mad at him about something soon, if not tomorrow, but the others aren’t even close to getting my support and his good decisions are more prevalent than his bad.
2. Chris Daly
He’s the one guy who brought bold new and good ideas to the campaign. Public bank, municipal utilities, urban gardening etc. It’s the leadership and experience issue that has me concerned, he lacks a fundamental understanding about governing. If I were voting for who I want to run against Soglin, he’d have my vote on his ideas alone, if elected he’d have an extremely steep learning curve.
3. Scott Resnick
Meh. I expected him to wow me and do more. Nice guy. Generally does good things. I can’t understand his Uber/Lyft support, that freaks me out a little bit. I fear his obsession with the young hip and cool crowd and don’t really see a commitment to “social justice” as he has been touting himself. The city of his future is for Epic employees and entrepreneurs, leaving out the 17% that live in poverty, and the many more close to it. He’s had some good votes, but I don’t see him as a leader on the issues he is now touting in his campaign. He has been on the council for the past 4 years and was the council president, but I didn’t see him get a lot done or push hard for any of the issues he talks about now. Many people don’t even know who he is. I’m skeptical at best and was hoping for more from his campaign. This is a bit petty but his politician style quips during the forums just weren’t believable, he needs to find his own style and stop listening to his campaign handlers. He needs to relax and just be himself.
4. Richard Brown
He’s just too conservative for me. Nice guy. I like him. His politics just don’t necessarily line up with mine, he’s a bit too conservative to me. His ideas about city employees volunteering I find odd. And the partnerships with the churches seems odd too. The churches I talk to have been telling me how they are trying to fill the gaps in the human services safety net and they are drowning, the needs are too great and they are already doing more than their share. I don’t think government should be shoving their responsibilities off to the faith communities. I also think the partnering with faith communities is a little dangerous as it brings religion into the services they provide and I prefer to keep a brighter line, especially if government funded.
5. Bridget Maniaici
One might think I just don’t like her because she beat me in 2009, but it goes beyond that and her self-centered obliviousness. My biggest issue is that I just don’t agree with her philosophy on development. She never met a development she didn’t like. And she subscribes, vehemently, to the theory that if we just develop more, at all costs, we will grow the tax base and that will then lead to more funding for services. We all know that it doesn’t work out that way. At. all. More development = more costs for infrastructure, police and fire services, the need for more parks and libraries, and there is never anything left over to provide community services for the rest of the community that can’t afford the new, pretty buildings. It’s a fundamental disagreement. We don’t need a city full of Edgewaters and $2000 Constellation-style apartments for the young hip cool kids. And, uh, Freakfest ruined Halloween.
So, I’m voting for Soglin today. By default to some extent, but I’m pretty decided that he is the best option. Not my ideal option, but the best, most knowledgable, most experienced, person with the best values for the city. Hands down. I say this, knowing we will likely disagree on many things!
Paul Soglin’s initial reaction to the proposed brew pup in the old Shop Bop and Uno Pizza space? We need a dry goods store instead.
A dry goods store? I’LL TAKE SOME SALTED PORK AND CORN MEAL, AND A BOLT OF GINGHAM. AND DON’T FORGOT SOME OF THAT NEW-FANGLED ROCK CANDY FOR THE CHILDREN.
He relented, but let’s be serious: Paul Soglin’s day has passed. His vision for the city is to get rid of sidewalk sandwich board signs and be grumpy. Just ask Wendy the Wind Sock.
I decided that I was going to vote for the BEST person for the job, not against someone. I was hoping someone else running might show me how they are the BEST. They didn’t come close. I have lots of criticisms of Paul, but he is sadly still the best candidate.