Media

Why is it ok to belittle, berate and be so openly hostile to people trying to participate in their democracy with the decks stacked against them? Last week was a low in public participation as I have never seen before in this city that I love. I just feel sick seeing how citizens giving input or testimony get treated by the City of Madison. Watch as Susan Schmitz from Downtown Madison Inc throws a fit and yells at a citizen who gave input at the City Council meeting, the police chief calls a person "ludicrous" and I get told not to show up to a public hearing and get chastised for being critical of something that they asked for input on and the input session on the Department of Civil Rights Director scheduled on a Friday night not surprisingly gets two members of the public to show up.

I grow so tired of this . . . every week, 3 - 10 extra meetings that didn't get posted on Friday, often with 24 - 48 hours notice, today its 26 hours notice, 26 hours notice and 30 hours notice. Last night the Homeless Issues Committee had to be cancelled because the CITY failed to post it properly - the county got it done.

5 meetings - including layoffs and upcoming budget.

18 meetings and only 5 before 5:00.

11 of the 21 meetings Monday - Thursday are before 5:00. More than half . . . its like the public isn't really encouraged to attend the meetings . . .

Tomorrow 11 - 3 at 304 N. 3rd Street. Live music, food, plants for sale, OM goods for sale, tours of the village, raffle tickets for sale, and a chance to help us raise money for "phase II" of our project to add a kitchen and community room, which allows us to put more houses on the site. (see below for raffle prizes)

You ever have the feeling you're going to live forever? I mean like you're never going to die?... I'm going to be great, I...

So, when the city grows, nonprofits who do a lot of services for the City of Madison don't get increases based on population growth, many years we didn't even get a cost of living increase, so why does the Madison Police Department get such increases? If they get 4 officers every year to keep pace, shouldn't community services get an commensurate increase?

Better start working on it now! Vote Riders will get you there! And volunteers will make it easy for you! Thanks to Union Cab and Scott McDonell in Dane County Clerks Office! Call 608-729-7720 to get help.

In county government most things are carefully controlled and pre-decided. Without significant calls for change, which won't happen anytime soon, Sharon Corrigan and her minions have carefully choreographed things so that they remain in control - which includes making sure people don't run against incumbents, guaranteeing who gets elected to the chair, ensuring that the budget gets passed as they want it and determining who the committee chairs are. Last night the Health and Human Needs Committee saw a slight boat rocking . . . which of course, was tightly controlled. Don't worry your pretty little heads Jeremy Levin was returned to his throne as overlord of the Health and Human Needs Committee . . . but not without at least a little discussion.

What a surprise! (no, not at all) x more meetings, look for more tomorrow and maybe even Wednesday.

Anything you (or anyone else) show(s) up to speak on and . . .