Progressive Dane Spring Election Endorsements
Election, Tuesday, April 7th
---Madison City Council---
Alder Brenda Konkel (District 2): Lost Election.
Alder Mike Verveer (District 4): Retained Seat.
Alder Marsha Rummel (District 6): Retained Seat.
Katrina Flores (District 8): Lost Primary.
Alder Satya Rhodes-Conway
(District 12): Retained Seat.
---Madison School Board---
Arlene Silveira (Seat 1):
Won Election.
---Town of Cross Plains Supervisor---
Arnold Harris (Seat 4): Lost Election.
---Wisconsin State Superintendent of Schools---
Todd Price – Lost Primary.
A summary on those candidates in contested races -
Alder Brenda Konkel for Madison's City Council Representing District 2
District 2 Alder Brenda Konkel is running for Common Council again to continue to work with her constituents on many projects, and to ensure that their voices are heard in city hall. Brenda is an experienced, progressive leader who has fought passionately for open, transparent, accountable government that is responsive to neighborhoods and allows all residents to participate. While there is much pressure in local government to conform and just go along to get along, Brenda is a representative who will fight hard for our neighborhoods and present fresh, well-reasoned, solutions and initiatives. Brenda has also been an excellent leader in Progressive Dane and we are proud to endorse her again.
Some of Brenda Konkel's accomplishments include:
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Helped pass the Tenney Lapham Neighborhood Plan
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Helped create and pass the East Washington Capital Gateway BUILD Plan.
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Started and insured continuation of the early public comment period at City Council meetings, allowing those with childcare issues or other needs to speak and leave the council meeting early.
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Fought to improve the Common Council Budget process.
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Added money in the 2009 budget for recycling facilities in the parks.
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Helped keep the Breese Stevens Field renovations moving forward.
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Pushed for a public process to resolve how to sell the houses in James Madison Park to preserve them.
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Co-sponsored additional money for pavement markings for cross walks in the 2009 budget.
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Co-sponsored loan to Tenney Nursery and Parent Center.
Arlene Silveira for MMSD Board of Education, Seat 1
Progressive Dane is proud to support Arlene Silveira's re-election to the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) Board of Education.
In her three years on the Board, Arlene has done much to improve the schools and their governance. In her initial year on the Board she built district and community advocacy for state school funding reform. As president of the Board over the last two years, she took the lead in hiring new Superintendent an Nerad, was instrumental in winning the November 2008 referendum vote for much needed operating funds and recently she has overseen the transition to improved governance structures and financial practices. All of these have directly and indirectly contributed to greater community engagement and enhanced educational experiences.
Throughout her service, Arlene has kept the mission of the public schools to provide the best educational opportunities for all children front and center.
She has also been a strong supporter of Progressive Dane, our mission and candidates.
There is a lot of work left to be done. There are still great inequalities opportunities and achievement; there is much room for improving community engagement at the district, school and classroom levels; Wisconsin’s school finance system remains broken. Madison’s schools are lucky that Arlene wants to continue to lead in these and other efforts.
The election is being held during MMSD’s spring break and many of the Aldermanic seats are uncontested. This makes each and every vote especially crucial (in her first election Arlene won in a recount by only 14 votes!). be sure to go to the polls or if you will be out of town, request and carefully fill out and return an absentee ballot or simply go to the City Clerk’s office and vote during regular office hours priory to election day (for forms and information visit: http://www.cityofmadison.com/election/absenteeVoting/index.cfm).
Vote for Arlene Siveira on April 7 and check out her web page to learn more and for opportunities to help assure her re-election: http://www.arleneforschoolboard.com.
Arnold Harris
Arnold Harris has lived near Pine Bluff for 32 years. He served the US Army three years late in the Korean War era. His educational background is in journalism/communications and urban/regional planning. Progressive Dane is endorsing Arnold because of his stands listed below. If elected as a supervisor in the Town of Cross Plains, Arnold has pledged to support the following policies:
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Comprehensive planning in cooperation with Dane County, appropriate for the predominantly rural Town of Cross Plains and that maintains open spaces and avoids large-scale residential development.
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A town-managed system of transfer of development rights (TDR) to facilitate parcel splits based on 35-acre density standards.
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Preservation of environmental resources, including Black Earth Creek, the Upper Sugar River, and the Ice Age Trail and Scientific Nature Reserve.
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Shared governance among all members of the board, in which the chair presides but all participate with input from town residents and land owners.
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Improved town budgeting and fiscal management.
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Setting and maintaining relatively low levels of compensation and per-diem expenses for board members and appointees, and restricting double-dip payments for meetings.
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Open meetings where all Town of Cross Plains residents are welcomed and free to participate in their own governance without being gaveled or intimidated into silence.
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Open town records, fully computerized and available online and in print.
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Designing and maintaining an improved town website with interactive onscreen features.
Past Election Endorsements and Results
Progressive Dane Mission
We, the members of Progressive Dane, join together to form an independent political party in Dane County with a major focus on local issues. We pledge to work to improve the quality of life in Dane County for all people, particularly those marginalized by economic and social discrimination. We will work to improve our local government by making it open, easier to understand, and accessible for all citizens of Dane County. We are working to achieve positive policy change by electing accountable progressive officials and mobilizing citizen action.
In The News Blog
Progressive Dane's "In The News" blog keeps you up to date on the latest news from (and about) PD. Check here for information on PD's policy initiatives and to read about what our endorsed elected officials are up to.
- Progressive Dane's Garden Party Friday, June 19th - 05/31
- Moving Our Progressive Agenda Forward - 05/27
- Progressive Dane Tabling at WORT - 05/16
