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January 07, 2005

Business Owner Rents Downtown Apartment to run against Austin King

Isthmus reported that the owner of the Kimia Lounge, Kami Eshraghi of fitchburg, has rented an apartment downtown to run against Austin King. Austin King is a PD endorsed incumbent who has helped pass legislation to increase the minimum wage and inclusionary zoning.
Snips of the article are below; The full article is in the January 7, 2005 edition of Isthmus.

As owner of the Kimia Lounge on Capitol Square, Kami Eshraghi was upset by Ald. Austin King's successful proposal to raise Madison's minimum wage, and by King's support for a citywide smoking ban.

"Minimum wage is an issue that should be dealt with on a state level," he says. And as for the smoking ban, Eshraghi warns, "It's horrible and it hurts our businesses. We'll lose several of our local bars."

So Eshraghi decided to run against King for a seat on the Common Council this spring. There was just one problem: Eshraghi is a longtime resident of Fitchburg. The bar owner had to sublet an apartment in King's downtown district before he could run...

"His candidacy is an attempted hostile takeover of the council by a special interest," [King] says. "Maybe Kami should run for the city council in Fitchburg."

Posted by prodane at January 7, 2005 11:24 PM