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King, challengers face off in debate

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Also by Aubre Andrus:

UW prepares for Halloween (October 20, 2005)
City prepares for Halloween (October 20, 2005)
In-Depth: State Street's balancing act (September 1, 2005)
In-Depth: Destination: class (November 3, 2005)

by Aubre Andrus

Thursday, February 3, 2005

District 8 candidates for this spring’s City Council election appeared on the “Know Your Candidates” program on Wisconsin Public Television Saturday, which was co-sponsored by Madison City Channel and the League of Women Voters of Dane County.

Ald. Austin King, District 8, debated with his challengers, Awesome Car Funmaker band member Ryan Corcoran and Kami Eshraghi, owner of the Kimia Lounge.

At times, debate was heated. According to King, Eshraghi accused him of taking bribes from his landlord and giving legislative favors in exchange for lower rent. King said Eshraghi’s accusation was false and he could not believe Eshraghi would make the claim on television.

“I really hope this is not a foreshadowing of the campaign, and I look forward to an apology,” King said. “It was an outrageous and totally false and easily proven-to-be-false attack.”

King said he rents through a property manager, not directly through his landlord, and that his roommate negotiated the rent.

Corcoran said he felt uncomfortable sitting in the room after Eshraghi made the comments about King. The debate clearly showed the different positions the candidates hold over important issues, he added. Eshraghi and Corcoran are both against King’s proposal to raise Madison’s minimum wage.

According to Eshraghi, King is responsible for the high cost of renting apartments and houses near campus, along with the increase in crime within the district, which includes the Southeast dorms and the College Court area.

“Austin (King) owes District 8 an apology,” Eshraghi said.

Eshraghi said he wants to increase the amount of student housing downtown and include retail space on the first floors of buildings. Students should be able to live in affordable housing on the lakefront, he said, adding that old houses with bad plumbing should not be as expensive to rent as the new housing on campus.

“It’s turning into an elitist campus,” Eshraghi said. “Students can’t afford to live near the campus, which is bad for the city and takes away from its character.”

King said he had the most detailed answers during the debate about specific policies, and he is the most experienced candidate running, with two years already served as a City Council member.

Corcoran said the debates showed King as a formidable opponent in the race for District 8, but also showed that there are alternatives.

Eshraghi, who grew up in Madison, said he is the only opponent who plans to stay in Madison and probably retire in the city, as opposed to King, who may serve his term and move to a different city or different occupation.

The Wisconsin Union Directorate and Associated Students of Madison are holding another debate for the District 8 candidates next Thursday at Memorial Union.

“It’s going to be important for students to see the difference between the candidates,” Corcoran said. “It’s issue, after issue, after issue.”

Corcoran said he will focus on decreasing rent prices, issues surrounding Halloween, a “lack of leadership” and the enforcement of underage drinking.

The “Know Your Candidates” debate for District 8 will re-air Saturday at noon on channel 12.

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Anonymous (February 3, 2005 @ 11:59am):

Kami Eshraghi is such a scum-fucker. That dude deserves to be drawn and quartered. Kudos to Corcoran for standing with Austin when he was getting attacked by the slimeball. Both Corcoran and King are infinitely better than that old, out-of-touch mud-slinging fucktard.

Anonymous (February 3, 2005 @ 12:02pm):

Anonymous (February 3, 2005 @ 12:19pm):

You must really hate Kami to post that twice! Just kidding. :-)

But seriously, while I agree that Eshraghi is far worse than both Corcoran and King, there's just no comparing the two of them either. Ryan Corcoran said he's running because he thinks it'll be similar to playing in a band. He's never done anything of consequence and then he just up and runs for alderperson? He doesn't have any experience, or any civic resume to speak of. What has he ever done? (Maybe I'm just out of the loop, but Google isn't helping me find anything.)

I first met King when he was leading Men Making a Difference, working to prevent sexual assaults on campus. And against all kinds of powerful opposition, as a rookie on the city council he raised the minimum wage. It's impossible to even compare his experience with Corcoran. Corcoran seems like a nice guy, but, I don't know, he should have gotten involved with something, ANYTHING, before running against for office, especially against a progressive incumbent. I just don't get what he possibly could have been thinking before throwing his hat in the race...

Anonymous (February 3, 2005 @ 6:51pm):

ACF kicks ass, but I'm still voting for King; he seems to have gotten his shit done and actually knows what he's talking about. I don't really know much about Kami, but what I'm seeing is that he's pretty much a mean old prick.