Today you have the chance to elect Bryan Post, a young, smart, progressive UW alum to the Madison City Council. After four years of serving as the District 2 Alder, I can also emphatically say that by voting for Bryan, you have the chance to vote against backwards, small-minded ideas and a candidate that continually has taken positions against renters, students and creating a balanced and vibrant downtown.
Bryan Post understands better than Ledell Zellers what it means to make the campus community and downtown Madison great. Over four years, I have seen Ledell Zellers take hardline positions on issues of housing, alcohol policy and the nighttime economy. Ledell was president of Capitol Neighborhoods Inc. in 2008 when CNI pushed a draconian downtown policy committee that advocated for the City to spend extra police resources on bar raids and house-party patrols. They also advocated for mandating ID scanners at bars and creating a beer tax.
Members of the greek community and State-Langdon neighborhood repeatedly felt helpless and railroaded under Ledell’s leadership as CNI President. They seceeded from CNI and created their own neighborhood association.
Many months I find myself at the Mansion Hill Neighborhood Association meetings, and it’s the same club of 6-8 people that come every month. I have no confidence that if elected, Ledell will pursue any agenda outside of her own interests, which in the last 10 years is basically limited to historic preservation efforts and anti-alcohol efforts. Spending money on bar and party raids takes away limited police resources and does nothing to create safer neighborhoods at night.
Bryan has been endorsed by the Affordable Housing Action Alliance because as a renter, he understands the issues students face in finding well-priced housing and the many rental terms tenants face. Mayor Soglin disbanded the Housing Committee last year and Bryan has championed reinstating this vital committee.
Because of the housing shortages in the city, many students are reliant on public transit. Next spring ASM and UW-Madison will be negotiating the SafeRide bus contracts. Bryan has made a commitment to fight to restore the service cuts that UW made.
Who will help student organizations or fraternities pull a street-use permit? Or fight for the Mifflin Street Block Party? After refusing to get involved in other years, Zellers and CNI eventually got involved with Mifflin in 2011 when the Majestic Theatre needed a non-profit to hold the beer licence. Mifflin went out of control that year because you had event organizers who didn’t understand the community, and Zellers was right in the middle of it. Because CNI did so poorly organizing, the entire future of Mifflin is threatened with extinction.
I would like to send someone to City Hall that’s going to succeed and be an effective advocate for District 2. Zellers is not new to City Hall, and over the last 10 years, she has burned significant bridges with major decision-makers that this district needs to succeed.
Having served the campus community for the last four years, I can confidently say the differences between the two candidates couldn’t be more clear.
Bryan has earned the endorsements of Fair Wisconsin, UW’s College Democrats, former Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, State Senator Fred Risser and a number of labor unions. He’s the only candidate unions are supporting. Bryan’s also earned the endorsement of Downtown Madison Inc. because he supports having thriving neighborhoods with shops, bars and restaurants that support a growing city. Not shutting the city down at midnight.
Bryan has continually impressed me with his intelligence, pragmatic nature and positive attitude. He’ll support students and I couldn’t ask for a more competent, exciting candidate to take over District 2. Give him the opportunity.
The election is today. Your vote counts. Vote Bryan Post for City Council.
Bridget is a UW-Madison alum and current District 2 alder. Please send feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
