P.O. Box 1222, Madison, WI 53701 | www.prodane.org | office@prodane.org | (608) 257-4985

Progressive Dane - In The News Blog

General Membership Mtg 4/23 @ 6:30 p.m. - 04/22

Progressive Dane's General Membership Meeting will be held this Wednesday, April 23, 2008, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the second floor of Madison's Downtown Public Library.

This month's chair is Aaron Crandall.

Alder Brenda Konkel will lead us in a continued discussion regarding current issues and setting priorities for the rest of the year.

Madison School Board President Arlene Silveira and County Supervisor John Hendrick will give reports on County and School Board activities.

Individuals who are not members of Progressive Dane are encouraged to attend. Anyone with questions or special needs should contact the Progressive Dane office at 257-4985 or office@prodane.org.

Posted by prodane on April 22, 2008  Permalink

Progressive Dane Election Summary Spring 2008 - 04/20

The past spring elections were a little quiet, perhaps a little more quiet than we would have liked; however, there was still plenty of electoral action going on. There were two open school board seats, with only one candidate for each seat. Progressive Dane had one endorsed candidate out of the two races. On the County Board, there five Progressive Dane incumbents running for reelection; three of them were unopposed and two had opponents. There was also a Progressive Dane supervisor who was moving on, so there was an open seat for Progressive Dane to defend as well. So without further ado, here is the race-by-race break down:

Continue reading "Progressive Dane Election Summary Spring 2008"

Posted by prodane on April 20, 2008  Permalink

Economic Development Plan Listen and Answer Session - 03/07

Madison’s Economic Development Plan

The City of Madison has hired a consultant to develop a Strategic Economic Development Implementation Plan to guide our efforts over the next 3 – 5 years.

Do you like it?

It’s all about your economic future, Madison!

Creating quality jobs, supporting small businesses, encouraging public-private partnerships, up-dating zoning, designing city spending to stimulate economic growth, and preserving quality of life are all on the table.

Matt Mikolajewski, Manager of the Office of Business Resources, City of Madison, will present a draft of the city’s 3 – 5 Year Strategic Economic Development Implementation Plan and respond to your questions and comments.

Learn about the plan and provide input!

Thursday March 13, 2008
Hawthorne Branch Library, 2707 East Washington Avenue
6:00 – 7:30 pm

The earlier you are on board the better!

A draft of the city’s 3 – 5 Year Strategic Economic Development Implementation Plan is now available online at:

www.cityofmadison.com/business/obr

You may also submit your comments and suggestions via e-mail at obr@cityofmadison.com or by calling the City of Madison Office of Business Resources at 267-8721.

Sponsored by Progressive Dane, www.prodane.org, 608-257-4985

Posted by prodane on March 07, 2008  Permalink | Comments (0)

Inmate Poverty Exemption Introduced to Dane County Board of Supervisors - 02/25

Weeks after voting to increase fees to $20/day for inmates on electronic monitoring, supervisors introduce ordinance exempting those earning below the federal poverty line

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Ashok Kumar, Dane County Supervisor (District 5), Ph: (608) 843-0615
Linda Ketchum, Executive Director, Madison-area Urban Ministry, Ph: (608) 256-0906

(Madison) – Dane County Board Supervisor Ashok Kumar, District 5, will be introducing an ordinance to establish a mandatory fee exemption for inmates earning below the federal poverty line for the electronic monitoring program. It will be introduced at tonight’s Dane County Board of Supervisors meeting and is expected to go to the Public Protection and Judiciary and Personal and Finance Committees.

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Posted by prodane on February 25, 2008  Permalink

School board proposal draws ire - 02/10

Published in The Capital Times
Susan Troller
February 9, 2008

The Madison School Board has drawn fire from Progressive Dane for a proposed policy change regarding public appearances.

The change would limit public commentary preceding school board meetings to agenda items. Individuals who want to speak on issues that are not part of the agenda would be required to speak after the business portion of the meeting was complete.

"The board has very ambitious agendas this year and several times in the last couple of months we haven't gotten through our business meetings. That's a problem and that's the issue we're trying to address," Board President Arlene Silveira said.

Continue reading "School board proposal draws ire"

Posted by prodane on February 10, 2008  Permalink

Bus booster: City Council's Rhodes-Conway champions mass transit - 02/10

Published in The Capital Times
Mary Yeater Rathbun
February 9, 2008

Being able to ride a city bus easily and conveniently is so important to Ald. Satya Rhodes-Conway that, when she bought her first house in December 2005 at the age of 34, she chose it in large part because it was one bus ride away from her job on campus.

As the primary champion of the city bus system on the Madison City Council, her ideas about how to improve Metro matter, especially now when the quality of Madison's bus system is so much a part of the regional transit authority (RTA) referendum debates.

Continue reading "Bus booster: City Council's Rhodes-Conway champions mass transit"

Posted by prodane on February 10, 2008  Permalink

Progressive Dane Opposes School Board Members’ Attempt to Limit Public Comment - 02/08

For Immediate Release
February 7, 2008

At Monday’s school board meeting, a proposal was considered that would limit meaningful public comment at School Board meetings. The proposal as noted on the agenda was as follows:

It is recommended that the Board approve the revisions to School Board Policy 1222 and School Board Policy 1220 as identified in Appendix JJJ-8-6; said revisions affecting public appearances at board meetings, committee meetings, public hearings, and other meetings.

In short, if you are coming to speak about an item that is on the agenda, public speaking will be at the beginning of the meeting. If you are speaking about a non-agenda item, public speaking will be after the business portion of our agenda. If you are a student (K-12), you can speak at the beginning of the meeting even if you are speaking on a non-agenda item.

“This change effectively makes it difficult for parents of children who come to testify to also testify and depending upon how late the meetings run, may limit this input altogether, “ said Brenda Konkel, co-chair of Progressive Dane.

Continue reading "Progressive Dane Opposes School Board Members’ Attempt to Limit Public Comment"

Posted by prodane on February 08, 2008  Permalink | Comments (0)

Dane County Board looks to accept invitation to establish ties with Venezuela - 02/08

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

County leaders and community activists to introduce resolution at Thursday's Dane County Board meeting to accept an invitation from the Venezuelan ambassador to create sister relationship with Andres Eloy Blanco, Venezuela

Contact:
Ashok Kumar, Dane County Supervisor, District 5, Ph. (608) 843-0615
Omar Sierra, Venezuelan Consulate – Chicago, Ph. (312) 236-9655
Juscha Robinson, Fellow, Liberty Tree Foundation for the Democratic Revolution, Ph. (608) 239-4269
Charity Schmidt, Board Member, Community Action on Latin America, Ph. (608) 334-6370

Madison –Dane County Supervisors Ashok Kumar, Barbara Vedder, and Al Matano will introduce a resolution at Thursday's Dane County Board of Supervisors meeting to create an official sister relationship with the municipality of Andres Eloy Blanco, Venezuela. The resolution is a response to an invitation from Venezuela's ambassador, Bernardo Alvarez. Earlier this year, Alvarez met Supervisors in an effort to establish a sister relationship between Dane County and a municipality in Venezuela.

Continue reading "Dane County Board looks to accept invitation to establish ties with Venezuela"

Posted by prodane on February 08, 2008  Permalink | Comments (0)

Co Sup Kumar introduces fish consumption advisory signs resolution - 02/03

Reported by Madison Environmental Justice Organization
www.mejo.us ~ 608.240.1485 ~ info@mejo.us

Pollution in Dane County lakes and waterways makes it risky to catch and eat some fish; yet there are no fish consumption advisory signs posted where shoreline anglers can read them and make informed decisions.

County Supervisor Ashok Kumar has introduced a County Board resolution to remedy this problem, and to make sure these signs are relevant to the people who fish along shorelines.

Continue reading "Co Sup Kumar introduces fish consumption advisory signs resolution"

Posted by prodane on February 03, 2008  Permalink

PD Alders & Co. Supervisors Support Strong CARPC Review Criteria - 01/23

January 22, 2008

Dear Capitol Area Regional Planning Commissioners:

The Progressive Dane Alders and County Supervisors listed below urge you to maintain the strong criteria for urban service area extensions, as well as the goals and policies laid out in the draft documents you will be considering on January 24. We are committed to natural resource protection and restoration as well as compact infill and re-development, because we believe that this is the fiscally, environmentally, and socially responsible and sustainable way to grow and develop.

Continue reading "PD Alders & Co. Supervisors Support Strong CARPC Review Criteria"

Posted by prodane on January 23, 2008  Permalink | Comments (0)

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