Madison's two mayoral candidates, Dave Cieslewicz and Paul Soglin, took to the podium Wednesday night to differentiate themselves in a debate at the Memorial Union, but they left some in the audience unconvinced they hold substantially different views.
\I was struck by how similar they are in so many ways,"" said Nicole Miller, a lab manager in the UW-Madison veterinary school. ""I won't be totally disappointed if who I vote for doesn't win.""
Some of the candidates' answers were so comparable, they declined to accept their turn at rebuttal. They told the gathering of more than 200 people that they support inclusionary zoning, stronger enforcement of tenants' rights, expanding sales taxes and increasing education and training for underprivileged workers.
Audience members had to listen closely for specific policy issues the candidates disagree on. For example, they both support inclusionary zoning, but Cieslewicz said he wants to implement it first in the city, while Soglin wants it first to be a county-wide endeavor. Inclusionary zoning requires developers to include a percentage of affordable housing in each new development.
In response to an audience member's question, both candidates said it was important to improve job opportunities for minorities, but only Cieslewicz mentioned he would support an ordinance raising the minimum wage.
""I do think a living wage is something Madison ought to have,"" he said.
As for the perennial college issue of binge drinking, Soglin had more detailed plans for curbing alcohol abuse and related problems of violence and sexual assault downtown. Cieslewicz said he would like to examine the current situation, where many bars downtown implemented a self-imposed drink special ban on Thursday and Friday nights, and come to conclusions based on that.
Soglin, however, had a specific plan where bars would offer drink specials earlier in the evening, from 8 to 10 p.m., hopefully drawing students out earlier and eliminating the crush around bar time.
""[Of course] what I propose isn't going to work if people go out earlier and stay out until 2 a.m.,"" he said.
Each candidate also had a different view of what constitutes the most important campaign issue. For Soglin, it would be most important to build a stable financial base in the city so that public schools could offer increased opportunities to poor and minority kids.
""There is nothing the mayor or the city can do ... [that is] as important as what happens in public schools,"" he said.
Cieslewicz, on the other hand, said the most important issue facing the mayor would be creating more affordable housing.
