Seriously. He’s a nice guy, so he gets away with this, or he did.
What? He’s done two blog posts and here’s what we get in the first one.
But I spent the next few weeks thinking about it and what I might write. I ruled a lot of stuff out. I don’t want to mope around this space about my loss. I don’t want to criticize my successor. I don’t want to get into blog wars with others.
But what is his next blog post? It’s all about what the mayor should (or perhaps should not) do. Thinly veiled criticism, if you ask me. And, it actually sounds like he is still campaigning.
But it would be a mistake to hit the brakes on capital projects for two reasons: now’s the time to invest and things are getting better. We will be able to pay the borrowing back, but if we miss opportunities they’ll just cost more later.
Now’s the time to invest because interest rates are low, people need the jobs and construction bids have tended to be very good (though this last point moves with energy prices). The biggest part of the capital budget is streets, where over the last five years we’ve replaced miles of substandard pavement. Notice that potholes were not such a problem this spring?
Other projects are just exciting, like the Central Library, Central Park and the Public Market. These are things we need to do to put some sizzle in the city. We need to embrace projects like these (and the smoking ban, B-Cycle, domestic partner benefits) that mark Madison as a cutting-edge progressive city. In an environment where we’re competing for highly skilled, highly mobile workers, we need to stay ahead of the curve.
Not criticize his successor, eh? Note, he didn’t mention the Edgewater TIF. Can we put the brakes on that?
And, we need to do this to put some “sizzzle” in the city? I’m glad he’s not mayor, we don’t need “sizzle”, we need basic services, we need to address poverty and we need to make sure that the safety net is in place for those without jobs or who are struggling.
I did enjoy this line tho . . . cuz I was so sick of hearing about THE WORST BUDGET EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE!!!!!!
It’s May, which is Budget Halloween around City Hall. The idea is to scare the bejesus out of everybody about just how dire the upcoming budget is going to be. I did it for eight years in a row and I wasn’t being insincere. Because every year when we start to look at the budget projections early on, it’s prudent to be conservative. In other words, go low on revenues and high on expenditures. Things always look the bleakest in the spring.
Not being insincere? Yeah, right. My only question is, if he knew that, why did he keep doing it? Crying wolf didn’t work, but now Soglin is stuck with a real mess and I’m not sure people are going to believe him.
I wonder how the rest of his blog posts are going to be, not a good start.
Brenda, your CDS (Cieslewicz Derangement Syndrome) has gotten out of hand. Chill.
I was standing outside last night and I swore I heard Neil Heinen singing:
Poor Dave is dead.
Poor Jud is dead
All gather round his coffin now and cry
He had a heart of gold
And he wasn’t very old
Oh why did such a feller have to die?
I guess Neil adapted it from the Musical, “Oklahoma”
And after hearing that lullaby song by Neil last night I woke up to sing about the deceased being gone, “Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day, I’ve got a beautiful feeling everything’s going our way.”
Stuart – you criticize everyone I know, why is ok if you do it, but I’m not allowed to criticize Dave or you or CDA? Double standard. I’m a blogger. I criticize people, get used to it. Go ahead and challenge me if I am wrong, but your comment is useless as is and is basically just name calling. Anything wrong with what I posted?
Mr. Levitan didn’t question the former mayor in time for Mr. Levitan to stop the mayor’s lapdog from vetoing the Landmark Ordinance on the Edgewater.
In fact, one time someone mentioned corruption under the former mayor and Mr. Levitan wrote that this was Madison and there was not corruption.
The weak and pointless argument for people who say, ‘This is Madison” is to compare “Madison” to Chicago’s corruption.
How do people think that Chicago got that way from people like Mr. Levitan who fear questioning.
It seems to me he is a historian who only looks at facts without vision and interpretation.
Keep on making our city a great place to live, Ms. Konkel.
hey Brenda,
BTW a lot of bloggers (just sayin) don’t engage with commenters anymore. Many figure they get “top billing” in the post, carry so much more weight on the page by virtue of being site owner that to answer/defend their points is over kill. Not meaning that’s what you’re doing, but IMO it’s perfectly legit to have your say, and then let the readers have the floor.
Those who DO a lot of back-and-forth with criticism seem to be aiming to establish a sort of drama community. Like purposely going all Jerry Springer to get views.
Seems like maybe someone has an attitude, and wants to bug ya. That’s not real discussion anyways, you can just let it sit there being what it is. OR people also disallow personal snark too, deleting pissy comments etc.
you are not publicly funded, no obligation to give ‘equal time”, no need to host rancor. Anyone can go get their own blog and build up their own readership. Not much is free these days – blogs still are.
Not wanting to condescend here, but just seeing a waste of time up there.
also LOL @ that caffeinatedpolitics guy woooeeee he has it in for Paul Soglin and was a serious Dave-lover U no it. Just jumping on any sign of “Paul-Fail” already. *sigh*
Some people, eh?
🙂 Good points! 🙂
I think people expect me to respond, but I’m totally find not doing it! 🙂 Curious what others think.
Brenda – Sorta off the subject a bit here, but sorta reminds me of something I’ve wondered about. Your blog must take up a lot of your time. Even if you don’t post that much, you seem to be sifting through press releases, reports, newspapers, other blogs, etc., in order write your own blog posts. You’re also reading and responding to blog comments. You’re also the ED of a non-profit org. Just wondering how you have time for it all? Like how do you get your ED work done and do all the blog stuff? (And now I’m giving you some more work/comment to comment on!)
Google Alert and Google Reader are my friends. And, there isn’t much press left. I get most most of my information from going to meetings in the evenings after work. That is what the majority of my blog posts are.
I like the fact that you respond to comments and hope you’ll continue to do so.
I’m afraid Citizen Dave is going to be not only more double speak but simply too much speak. It already feels like a more informed version of the Sconz.
another name for it might be Lueder’s Revenge.
Brenda, you call your blog “Citizen Dave … Double Speak,” when all you can is a blog that proposes a public policy position that borrowing for capital projects is good, and that the city move ahead on the Library, Market and Central Park. Not a particularly regressive or reactionary position. Dave’s blog did not mention Soglin, or remotely criticize him for holding a different policy position. You can certainly challenge Dave’s public policy stance (although I thought you supported those things he wants built), but to accuse him of hypocrisy is, IMO, off-base and more personal than substantive. I’d also like to know what “you criticize everyone I know” means.
Teresa, since I fought the Mayor on Edgewater as hard as I could, I have no idea what you’re talking about. And I would be very interested to learn about local corruption. Could you give some examples? Thanks, Stu.
The best way to deal with the publicity hound and elitist suck-up is to ignore him. However, Brenda, I am glad that you respond to comments. I thought your ideas were spot on. I have to say that now that Dave is actually writing his own stuff, the voice (and length) have clearly changed. It would be fun to do a hermeneutic study of the two
“Dave Blogs”. . .
Previously I wondered if Citizen Dave would be “too much speak.”
Well, today he’s posted a commencement address he gave in 2004. Even Craver isn’t this self-absorbed. Yeesh.
The other John (above) is probably right, he should be ignored. I’ll do my best from now on.