An RTA member, an Edgewater lobbyist, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, County Executive Kathleen Falk and other developers/lobbyists go on a bike ride in Europe . . . . sponsored by several groups and a private company. And of course, elected officials say, nothing to see here.
I’ve been sitting on this, shaking my head, getting frustrated, hoping some news source would ask the questions, but figured, eh, no one else cares why should I? I guess I was part of the problem. But, channel 27 decided to do a story and Mike McCabe from the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign made a comment, so at least I’m in good company!
WHY ARE THEY GOING?
They say they are going to look at cities where there is a high percentage of trips taken by bike to see what they can learn.
WHO’S GOING?
Chris Fortune, Saris Cycling Group president
Tony Fernandez, City of Madison engineer
Al Fish, University of Wisconsin Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities. UW Lobbyist – tho exempt under city of Madison law also serves on two city committees. Joint Southeast and Joint West Campus Area Committees.
Dan McCormick, City of Madison traffic engineer
Susan Schmitz, president of Downtown Madison, Inc. RTA member, registered DMI lobbyist and also serves on 5 city committees – Central Park, Contracted Services Oversight Committee, Ho-Chunk Nation/City of Madison Joint Committee, Parking Strategic Plan and Transit and Parking Commission.
Janet Piraino, chief of staff for Mayor Dave Cieslewicz
Allen Arntsen, a partner at Foley & Lardner. Registered Edgewater lobbyist, Board Chair of DMI and serves on 4 city committees – Cultural Plan Steering Committee, Joint Southeast and West Campus Area Committees and Library Board
Jim Bradley, President and CEO of Home Savings Bank
Tim Erdman, Chairman & CEO of Erdman Holdings Inc. and Erdman Energy Enterprises LLC.Not registered but working on a project in Clear’s District
Peter Bock, former state legislator
Paul Muench, VP Commercial Leasing for Urban Land Interests. Registered lobbyist for: Pinckney Investment, Urban Land Development, Urban Land Investments and serves on three Committees the BID, Susatinable Design and Energy and a subcommittee of that committee.
Brian Munson, principal from Vandewalle & Associates. Registered lobbyist for Ken Keryluk, Mullins Group, Rollie Winters & Veridian Homes in 2010, Benchmark Holdings, Homburg Equipment, Ken Keryluk, Meriter Health, Palisades Apts, Veridian Homes & WI Department of Administration in 2009 and serves on two committees Housing Committee and Housing Diversity Planning Committee
Krista Rettig, director of advocacy for Trek Bicycles Corporation
Jeff Rosenberg, President of Land Development for Veridian Homes. Registered lobbyist for Veridian Homes
Gary Peterson, president and certified planner for Sustainable Services.Serves on the Zoning Code Rewrite Advisory Committee
Zach Vanderkooy, project coordinator for Bikes Belong
Gary Sjoquist, advocacy director for Bikes Belong
Susie Weaver, communications coordinator for Wilderness Trail Bikes.
WHY SHOULD WE CARE?
First of all, it looks bad. I’m even more concerned for the RTA than for the Mayor and County Executive. The RTA has enough controversy surrounding it, it doesn’t need more. Tho it does raise a very, very, very interesting question or two. Do the RTA members have to follow any ethics laws? And, will they require lobbyist disclosure reports?
Second, I’m sure that throughout the trip, the issues these folks lobby on will come up, will it get reported? Or overlooked? You can’t tell me that part of what is motivating the lobbyist to go is to form insider relationships with elected officials and an RTA member.
Third, why aren’t alders and chairs of committees going on this trip, they are the ones that shape policies for the City of Madison. Or, why aren’t neighborhood leaders and community groups that don’t have a financial stake in the outcome of city decisions involved?
Fourth, I don’t buy the ethics rulings. Especially when Kathleen’s husband is going on the trip. How does that benefit the county and not her personally? Did they really find “clear and convincing” evidence that wasn’t a personal as opposed to a county benefit? On the Mayor’s side, the city attorney said it was ok because it was a foundation paying not a private company. I don’t remember seeing that distinction in the law, are non-profits now no longer lobbyists simply by being a “foundation”?
And finally, where will this slippery slope end? What happened to our strong open government and lobbying laws? We’re no Chicago or New Orleans, at least not yet, but it sure does make me uncomfortable when they are willing to be this brazen and defensive about this trip and at least on the City side we are making up laws again, makes me wonder what else is going on that we don’t see?
