Shame on Dave
Dave Cieslewicz lost the last mayoral election. But he is campaigning for next time, and Isthmus is brazenly providing him a big media outlet ("We Can Build a Better City Budget," 10/26/2012). Why?
Who does not remember that he pushed through a draconian 50-cent bus fare hike, purging the Transit and Parking Commission of people such as Carl DuRocher in the process? That does not prevent him from criticizing Paul Soglin for proposing a 25-cent hike. He describes it as "fumbling," and suggests that we should just borrow our way out of the problems he left behind. For shame!
Susan De Vos
The former mayor's article indicates he is suffering from amnesia with regard to his own spending and budgetary habits.
He offered $100,000 to Trek for placing their ubiquitous red rental bikes all over the city. Other cities received money for this, but for some reason Cieslewicz felt obliged to pay them. Mayor Soglin reduced that foolish expenditure to $1, and Trek agreed to the new arrangement, saving taxpayers $99,999.
Dave has also forgotten about the $16,000,000 TIF that we were told the Edgewater developer had to have to remodel the hotel. Mayor Soglin's much smaller TIF offer, which would "kill the project," was the incentive for the developer to realize that he could do it with private-sector money, not TIF. Under Soglin the Edgewater is being built without the need for the $16,000,000 TIF.
Michael Kienitz
In his opinion piece, ex-mayor Cieslewicz sarcastically says that Mayor Soglin's governing can be summed up in the phrase "Get off my lawn!" Apparently, Dave still feels the sting of his defeat, and his message is essentially, "Get out of my office!" To refresh short memories: When Paul replaced Dave in office, he quickly renegotiated Dave's deal with Trek for implementation of its bike rental program - from $100,000 per year to $1 per year. For my money, that sort of sums up the difference in their budgeting abilities.
Terry Farley
How low can you go?
The Kyle Wood scandal ("GOP Campaign Worker Recants," 11/2/2012) is just another disgusting illustration of the Republican party utilizing liberal tactics to gain political traction. Leftists throw themselves under buses and cry about getting run over. The fact that conservatives have to resort to such tactics is a sad reflection on our societal climate.
Karim Barrett, Lone Rock
Voter fraud
In 2007, students at UC-Santa Barbara flipped votes on Edge II touch-screen voting machines with paper trails. The machines can be secretly programmed to void your vote and cast a new one after you leave the booth.
The Government Accountability Board has not warned local election officials about these types of fraud and offers no guidance on what to do if fraud is suspected ("Do You Trust This Man with Your Vote?" 11/2/2012).
In 2006, Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus and state Supreme Court Justice David Prosser's attorney helped change the law so that votes are no longer counted in a recount. Votes are now tabulated on the same machines that produced the original totals.
Per the GAB, our laws prevent local sworn election inspectors from counting the votes to compare with the tabulated results produced by the machines - machines that have been designed, built, programmed and maintained by the unvested, nonlicensed employees of private companies based outside of Wisconsin (Command Central) and outside of the U.S. (Dominion).
I will trust Kevin Kennedy and the GAB when the public is permitted to fully verify election results. Join "Wisconsin Counts!" on Facebook for more information on these issues.
Jim Mueller, Cross Plains
