We have asked that the illegal political signs be taken down from the windows of the City-County and Municipal Buildings. We are outraged that these signs have defaced these government buildings for many weeks now.
If they remain in place Monday we will make our own political statement on those premises.
Unlike the Left, we threaten no one's safety, property, livelihood, or peace of mind. We only ask that this public, taxpayer-owned property not resemble a partisan political party headquarters. We ask only that our local seats of government present a neutral face to the public it serves. If it is permissable to display one side of an argument on government property than it is imperative it display both sides.
The signs are in violation of existing rules which, for our acquaintances on the Left, seem made to be broken.
These signs are unprofessional. They are clearly political. At least one urges the election of Kloppenburg to the state supreme court. Many of them denounce Governor Walker. Some depict the raised fist. Others vow their allegiance to AFSCME. The signs are illegal. They are an affront to the taxpayer.
They have been up for more than three weeks -- I first noticed them on March 11.
Shortly before noon on Friday, former alderman Dorothy Borchardt notified Chief Noble Wray:
There are ASCFME signs in the windows of the City-County Building facing Doty Street and in the Municipal Building facing Martin Luther King Blvd. One even has a raised fist in the window. The raised fist as an unsavory history behind it, and signifies to a lot of people hostile revolution.
This is clearly against the policies and operating rules. According to those rules the Madison Police Department is in charge of security and enforcement.
We certainly don't want happened to our State Capital happening in the City-County Building, even if the group will be more considerate of the building and the rules governing it.
Never in my 35 years of active involvement in the political life of this county ever noticed such a phenomenon. Neither has former Ald. Borchardt. In her notice to Chief Noble Wray she copied 12 County Board members and the entire city council. For my part, I forwarded the message on to the Sheriff and to the Mayor's office.
These are the relevant rules for the City-County Building:
Rule# 7. - No political activity or political news conferences are allowed inside the building proper......
#13. - No placards, signs or other devices shall be carried into the building .......
#16. -The Madison Police Department is in charge of enforcement of building policies & operating rules.
Former Ald. Borchardt asks, "What is happening to the City I love? Is it 'bullies rule'?"
She has received this report from inside one of those buildings:
Several people are wearing lapel pins / stickers visible on clothing as well as stickers / signs on their cars (their own autos) visible for when they are in the field for appointments. Also a storage of AFSCME signs in Depts. and in desk areas that are not generally not open to the public but public is allowed at times. Also yesterday one employee had a large "Vote for Kloppenburg" sign on the back or her coat hanging on the chair. As an employee working under Union mob rule and not agreeing with my Union, feeling unable to say anything without some retribution. For the most part all management is agreeing with the Union stance on this and will go out of their way to support in any way possible.
Feeling powerless to bring up the operating rules under this type of union mob rule.
Nor do we want to be served by any city or county employee wearing or bearing a political sign. Such employees will be told to remove their political signage.
Not every government office is so unprofessional. The sheriff tells me he has kept the safety building clean and neat. I can confirm that. The new county justice building (courthouse) has not been defaced. The original state office building at 1 W. Wilson Street and the state office building at 101 E. Wilson (aka the Klauserdome) are free of political signage.
Over a week ago the order went out to take down the signs in the State Capitol, including the windows of state legislators.
Only the City-County Building and the city's Municipal Building, facing each other on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, are littered with political signs.
Monday is April 4, just one day before the Spring elections -- and our local seat of government is festooned with political signs posted by government employees. That is outrageous and unacceptable.
