As a peace activist, Miles Kristan has more important issues to address. But you can hardly blame him for being angry over the lousy way he's been treated by the city of Madison.
As Isthmus reported (Watchdog, 4/30/09), Kristan, 23, was fined $675 for writing on State Street in chalk, as city ordinances expressly allow. He told this to the cops, who ignored him. Even after a police supervisor admitted that Kristan was right, he had to make a court appearance; it was only afterward that the citation was dismissed (Watchdog, 5/15/09).
Now, he says, the Madison Police Department has rubbed salt in his wounds by sending a $2.25 bill for the postage of its earlier letter explaining its decision to withdraw the bogus ticket. (His mother received and paid it, before telling him.)
"The audacity!" exclaims Kristan. "That they would actually send me a bill for their own mistake! I don't believe it!"
Kristan says he plans to file misconduct complaints against the officers involved and fight the city until he receives "a formal apology." He's owed at least that.
