News

Halloween plans near completion

Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's plan to charge a $5 fee for admittance to State Street on Halloween is scheduled to face a final vote by the City Council Tuesday night.

While the plan has undergone several changes since it was first introduced earlier this summer, City Council President Austin King said he still has concerns with the potential safety hazards involved in fencing off State Street.

"I think overflow onto Langdon Street is a possibility, and it is my No. 1 concern," King said. "I remain unconvinced [the plan] will increase public safety, and that's why I voted against it."

King also said he is concerned that a final vote Tuesday would significantly decrease the opportunity for student input on the plan, an element he noted is crucial for a successful celebration.

Both King and Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said they are pushing to move the final vote until the next City Council meeting in two weeks. Considering Halloween is not until the end of October, King said two weeks would not be a devastatingly long delay.

"I don't see what the rush is, and I don't see the need to hasten the formal decision by the council," Verveer argued. "I think, bottom line, it sends a very negative signal to the students to rush and make this a done deal the first day of class — many haven't even heard of the plan and have no idea there is a debate."

But George Twigg, spokesperson for the mayor, said there simply is not enough time to delay the vote to allow for more student input. However, he added that there would still be room for students to decide some details of the plan after the vote takes place.

"In an ideal world, we would have more time," Twigg conceded. "But there is a lot that has to be done between now and Halloween from figuring out sponsors to [booking] bands."

Yet King said that no matter when the vote occurs, the fact remains that few city officials take his side in fighting the mayor's plan for Halloween. Though there have been compromises, such as the lifting the 50,000 person capacity and the number of State Street access points, he reiterated that safety is still an impending issue.

"I am in a minority in terms of opposition to the plan," King said. "It's not that I think it's a horrific idea — I do think there are some very good ideas … but I would much rather see the City Council wait two weeks."