Wrong target
Re: “Enough is enough” (1/24/2019): Michael Cummins wants to reduce drunk driving. Fine, but to do so, he wants to focus on the thousands of Wisconsin drivers who have just a couple of drinks. Wrong target. Those are not the people who cause the “death and mayhem” he cares about.
Cummins uses the example of Utah cutting the blood alcohol limit. Utah first enacted .08 because of the Mormon aversion to alcohol — period. Then the feds blackmailed the Wisconsin Legislature with taxpayer money to reduce Wisconsin’s 0.1 percent to match Mormon Utah’s BAC limit. Why .08 percent? More money and power.
Let’s be clear: There is no evidence at all that people are meaningfully impaired at the .05 percent BAC level. If you look at the drunken drivers involved in deadly accidents, you will find that the problems are with those who are at way over 0.1 percent.
Giving money and power to the government has been compared to giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. It often leads to irresponsible behavior.
— James Maas, via email
She’s voting for Tag
Re: “A sense of urgency” (1/31/2019): I’ve lived in my District 13 neighborhood for decades. During that time, we have had many alders. Because our district is drawn from many relatively separate neighborhoods, we have often been frustrated by representation that is more focused on one or another part of the district. Tag Evers is the first candidate for alder that has invested hours and hours learning about the needs and issues of the whole district.
Tag has attended nearly all of the Triangle Monona Bay Planning committee meetings to better understand both the broad Triangle Redevelopment issues and Bayview’s specific renovations plans. He has met with representatives of every neighborhood association in the district. He toured a Heartland Housing First property to learn firsthand about both the promise and problems that could impact the proposed Park Street project. He has met with key resource people to refine his understanding of racial equity, transportation, affordable housing, planning and development, environmental issues, and more. Tag has knocked on doors all across the district to learn about the real experiences of its residents and their aspirations for themselves, their families, their neighborhood, and this city.
In short, he has approached his candidacy as a learning experience with an emphasis on actually being present. He understands that effective leadership is defined by the ability to convene diverse residents in the search for common, sustainable, just solutions. That combination, learning and convening, is the approach we need for true representation of our whole district, in all its vibrant, different parts. I’m voting for Tag. I encourage others to join me.
— Mary Berryman Agard, via email
