On Tuesday, Madison's District 8 will hold primaries to narrow the race for the alder seat being vacated by Eli Judge this spring.
Of the four candidates running, Bryon Eagon and Katrina Flores deserve to move on to the general election. Both candidates possess attributes that would serve the residents of the district - 98 percent of which are students - well.
A junior at UW, Eagon's greatest strength lies in his pragmatic approach and thorough understanding of the key issues that affect the district and its constituents.
Running on a platform that focuses on campus and downtown safety, landlord accountability and transportation efficiency, Eagon is realistic about what can be accomplished at the city level and progressive in calling for improvement where it is most needed.
Of the candidates, Eagon seems to have done the most homework and offers comprehensive plans for his top issues. His safety plan is 18 pages - 17 pages longer than any plan the other candidates have put forth - and showcases
Eagon's ability to pinpoint pressing problems and find sensible solutions to them.
Flores, a graduate student at UW, takes a community-organizer approach to the alder position. Concerned with tenants' rights and environmental sustainability, Flores states on her website that she wants to bring the community together to solve problems.
Although she has yet to offer plans on some important issues such as safety, Flores' emphasis on community building would be welcome in a district with many students.
Constituents of the district and Madison students at large have come to expect the District 8 alder to represent them and the issues most important to them. Out of the four candidates, Eagon and Flores are the best candidates for the job.
District 2 Primary
In the District 2 primary, Ald. Brenda Konkel continues to fend off criticisms from her opponents regarding her last term as alder.
Perhaps Konkel's most controversial ordinance proposal came last September when Konkel attempted to pass legislation protecting the homeless from fines involving public urination and sleeping in public parks. Konkel's ordinance would only serve to encourage the homeless to engage in such behavior instead of identifying programs meant to help curb homelessness. One would assume that Konkel, an active member of the Affordable Housing Action Alliance, would understand such a concept.
Out of her opposition, Bridget Maniaci brings a fresh perspective on the transitional state of District 2, focusing on the challenges of infrastructure and safety. Maniaci desires to alter the aging infrastructure to meet the changing demographic of residents and create density-appropriate housing to complement the infrastructure already in place.
Maniaci also desires to expand the Downtown Residential Lighting Initiative, an immediate response to growing concerns of residential safety in the area.
Konkel's last term as alder was an exercise in pushing numerous policies and amendments deemed unnecessary or not feasible in the eyes of the City Council. Change is needed in District 2, and Maniaci is the most suitable and pragmatic replacement.
