With Associated Students of Madison elections beginning today, it is still unclear whether or not a proposed opt-out system for the dissemination of segregated fees will be determined during this election cycle. As of press time, the proposal was on the ballot, but the ASM Student Judiciary had not yet ruled on a case challenging the validity of signatures collected to put the initiative on the ballot.
Under the proposal, students would have the option not to pay the portion of their segregated fees that go toward supporting 23 organizations funded through the Student Services Finance Committee. These organizations exclude the ASM Bus Pass, University Health Services, the Wisconsin Union Directorate and Recreational Sports. The case currently being deliberated by the Student Judiciary challenges whether or not signatures collected for a petition to put the initiative on the ballot were legally obtained. The plaintiffs in the case, UW-Madison senior Joe Laskowski and SSFC Representative Josh Orton, contend that the opt-out system should not be on the ballot.
\We don't think that this is a valid petition,"" Laskowski said, noting there are issues with the signatures themselves and manner in which the signatures were obtained. ""We feel very confident that it will not be on the ballot.""
However, proponents of the opt-out system are equally assured that it will be on the ballot considering the legal ramifications that could occur otherwise.
""One of the requirements of such preliminary relief is that there's no harm to the defendant if the relief is granted... Obviously if it's not on the ballot, there'd be a direct harm to the 4,085 people who signed that petition,"" said ASM Representative Jackie Helmrick who helped lead the effort to collect signatures.
The Student Judiciary has 14 days to decide the case, but both sides said they expect a decision relatively soon.
ASM elections begin today and continue through Thursday.
