Real estate developers are spending lavishly to influence Madison city council races on the ballot April 6. Four seats in particular are being targeted.
According to the latest state campaign finance reports, A Better Dane County has spent nearly $30,000 on campaign mailers to support incumbent Alds. Syed Abbas, Sheri Carter and Paul Skidmore, and challenger Charles Myadze. The group’s sole donor in 2021 was the National Association of Realtors Fund, which gave exactly the cost of the mailers. While not unheard of, it’s unusual for third party groups to send out campaign literature in local council races — typically a major expense for a candidate running for office.
Abbas faces Tessa Wyllie de Echeverria to represent the city’s near east and north side. Brandi Grayson is running against Carter on the south side. Ten-term incumbent Skidmore is being challenged by Nikki Conklin on the far west side. North side incumbent Rebecca Kemble is up against Myadze.
A Better Dane County is, according to its website, a nonprofit organization “committed to creating jobs and for starting economic growth” that “engages in grassroots lobbying.” It’s headed by Chad Lawler, executive director of the Madison Area Builders Association (MABA), and prohibited by state law from coordinating its political activity with candidates.
The members of the group’s board of directors are not listed publicly. But Isthmus obtained the names by paying for the group’s annual report submitted to the state. Its officers include Chad Wuebben, president of Encore Homes; Brian McKee, president of Midwest Homes Inc.; Andrew Disch, political director of North Central Regional Carpenters Council and former government affairs director of MABA; and Jeff Parisi, president of Parisi Construction Co.
Lawler says A Better Dane County has also been politically active in Fitchburg, Verona, and other communities in the area.
"[A Better Dane County] sent mailers supporting either candidates of color and/or for experienced alders who have a history of being strong advocates for essential housing across all price points," Lawler writes in response to questions emailed by Isthmus. "While we often disagree with these candidates on how to best provide for essential housing, the candidates focus and openness to learn about the impacts of the scarcity of essential housing is a key component to our support.”
Brian Benford, a former city alder who is running unopposed to replace Marsha Rummel on the council, is disheartened by the lack of transparency among these groups that are trying to influence local elections. He also says the dollars spent on the mailers from A Better Dane County would be better spent elsewhere.
“That money could be helping those that are most marginalized and suffering in our communities instead of helping organized groups fight for their own privilege and pocket books,” says Benford. “It’s an indictment on where their hearts are and it’s a really sneaky way to perpetuate all the systems that have crushed people here locally.”
Other groups affiliated with the real estate industry are also donating to council candidates.
The Building a Better Wisconsin PAC — which supports “pro-housing, pro-business candidates” — donated $400 to Skidmore. Of the individuals who have donated directly to the veteran alder’s campaign, nearly half list their occupation as developer, builder or landlord on the state campaign finance reports. The Wisconsin Carpenters PAC gave the maximum contribution ($400) to Alds. Christian Albouras and Carter, as well as Myadze. It also donated $200 to Ald. Lindsay Lemmer.
The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, acting as a conduit for its members, has funneled $9,700 to council candidates this cycle. This includes $250 to Lemmer, $700 to Ayomi Obuseh in the campus district, $1,650 to Skidmore, $200 to Abbas, $2,300 to Carter, $1,575 to Jael Currie (who is running against fellow newcomer Matt Tramel), $2,025 to Myadze, $250 to incumbent Keith Furman, and $400 to Albouras.
Adelante is a local political party founded in 2019 whose goal is to increase the number of people of color in elected and appointed positions. Run by Madison school board president and former deputy mayor Gloria Reyes, it is providing technical support for candidate of color running for city council this spring. It is principally funded by developers, too.
Adelante received $3,000 from A Better Dane County in January 2019 and another $3,000 in March 2020. In July 2020, Madison developer Joseph Alexander contributed $1,500 and real estate attorney Robert Procter III donated $1,000. The Democratic Party of Dane County also gave $1,000 to the new political party in December 2020.
This year, Adelante has received $2,500 from the Realtors Association of SC WI PAC, $2,500 from the Wisconsin Carpenters PAC, and $2,500 from Building a Better Wisconsin. The latest campaign finance disclosures show Adelante hasn't spent any money directly on Madison council races.
Seven candidates are being financially supported with $200 donations from the city’s employee union known as WI People Conference. These include Alds. Patrick Heck, Kemble, and Lemmer, and candidates Conklin, Currie, Wyllie de Echeverria and Yannette Figueroa Cole.
Progressive Dane is supporting its endorsed candidates (some of whom are running against each other) with $150-$200 donations. Blacks for Political and Social Action, a political group started last year, is doing similarly with $250 donations to seven candidates. Blacks for Political and Social Action and Adelante also recruit and train candidates.
Community for Responsible Government, an anonymous group, has paid for several billboards this election cycle.
Developer money showed up early in the election season. Isthmus revealed in January that real estate developer and former GOP U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde was behind billboards from “Save Madison PAC” that attacked four sitting alders for purportedly wanting to “defund the police.”
A half dozen or more new billboards popped up this spring. Some thanked Abbas, Carter, and Skidmore for “trying to keep our city safe.” The group behind these billboards is Community for Responsible Government and its members remain unknown. Hovde told Isthmus in January that he had “limited involvement” in the group and would not disclose its members or who was organizing the effort. Similar billboards were also put up stating Myadze and Tramel are “working for a safer city.” The group endorses Carter, Myadze and Skidmore on its website — but makes no reference to Abbas or Tramel. Community for Responsible Government also started running targeted Facebook ads supporting Carter, Myadze and Skidmore.
All 20 seats on the Madison Common Council are up for re-election on April 6. Five incumbents are running unopposed. Four open seats have only one candidate in the race. Eight incumbents face challengers. And three open seats are contested.
[Editor's note: This story has been updated to include comments from Chad Lawler, the registered agent of A Better Dane County and to clarify the role of the political party Adelante. This article has also been corrected to show Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce members, through a conduit, donated $250 to Ald. Lindsay Lemmer, and the Wisconsin Carpenters PAC donated $200.]
