NEWS
Woods kicks off alder campaign
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Also by Lynn Heidmann:
- Library Mall to add Subway, coffee shop (March 21, 2007)
- Ticket dispute ends in lottery (May 3, 2007)
- UW vet student earns book treat (March 9, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Aldermanic campaign goes international with Internet ads (March 21, 2007)
- UW students go head-to-head for District 8 seat (January 19, 2007)
- Mayor endorses Woods in alder race (March 1, 2007)
- Woods ahead in fundraising race (March 28, 2007)
- Woods drafts campus safety initiative (February 26, 2007)
by Lynn Heidmann
Thursday, February 1, 2007
University of Wisconsin senior Lauren Woods officially kicked off her campaign for District 8 alder against sophomore Eli Judge Wednesday.
If elected, Woods, a Chicago native, would be the first African-American woman to serve on the City Council and the first woman to serve in District 8 since U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., in the 1980s.
During a press conference at the Red Gym, Woods outlined the major concerns and issues her campaign will focus on, including safety, the downtown bar limit and tenants' rights.
"This campaign is about real issues," Woods said. "There are the downtown safety issues, but there are other issues the 8th District has said are equally important."
In terms of campus safety, Woods said she would make an effort to increase lighting, increase the number of neighborhood officers and fight to get more money for Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's downtown safety initiative.
Woods also took a stance against the Alcohol Density Plan — which would limit the number of bars and liquor stores downtown — saying the plan is not something students support.
"It's important to be vigilant … so we are all active in making our community safer," Woods said.
Among the other key issues Woods outlined for the race are tenants' rights and affordable housing, expanding civil rights and focusing on economic justice.
Woods added that though the 8th District is primarily comprised of students, an important goal of hers within the City Council would be to close the gap between neighborhoods that are struggling and those that are affluent.
"She is by far the candidate with the most in-depth knowledge of the issues," said City Council President Austin King, who is Woods' campaign treasurer. "There's no question Lauren Woods is the candidate with the ideas and the candidate with experience."
Judge, Woods' opponent, also said the race for District 8 will be a great "issue-oriented campaign."
An Illinois native as well, Judge said Wisconsin politics have become second nature to him and, as one of the leaders in the Students for a Fair Wisconsin campaign, he has plenty of experience working in the public eye.
"I think my experience with Students for a Fair Wisconsin … really makes me stand out as a candidate and a representative of the 8th District," Judge said. "I've adopted the city of Madison, and … I've been fighting for the rights of real families for all my time in Wisconsin."
Though Judge is younger than his opponent, he said his knowledge and experiences make him just as qualified a candidate.
Woods said her campaign has already earned the respect and support of many city officials, including Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, City Council President Austin King, Democratic State Senator Lena Taylor, Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, and several other campus-area alders.
"I'm excited to be running for office, not just to make history, but to make a real difference in the lives of people who have been left out and left behind," Woods said in a statement. "Madison is a great community with enormous potential, and I will fight to ensure all of its citizens … can share in that prosperity and high quality of life."
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 3:56am):
The National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice of the US Department of Justice did a study that found increased lighting does not significantly decrease crime, but only helped to lower the FEAR of crime. The same thing was found in the UK as well. Is this the best we can get?
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 4:19am):
She looks pretty unhappy. Did she expect to run unopposed after King stepped down ~10 days before the deadline for filing a candidacy? Look, I don't care who wins this, but the BH should look into that. Shaddddddy, Mr. Austin King. There is a thing called Karma, ya know?
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 4:40am):
I'm sorry, but a Green Party candidate calling for more cops? Please.
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 9:14am):
Given her endorsement by the Green Party, I find it ironic about increasing police
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 10:16am):
Criticize her politics all you want, but even her opposition has to concede that she knows what she's talking about way more than her opponent. And she's not just talking about lighting, but about neighborhood officers walking beats and more money for community organizations and neighborhood watch programs.
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 10:59am):
"Did she expect to run unopposed after King stepped down ~10 days before the deadline for filing a candidacy? Look, I don't care who wins this, but the BH should look into that. Shaddddddy, Mr. Austin King."
You seem angry. Perhaps it's because you (or someone you know) was hoping to run for the vacant seat? Then answer me this:
1. If you wanted to run, why were you too afraid to challenge Mr. King, but willing to challenge someone (presumably picked by Mr. King - it was fairly well-known that if he didn't run, he'd recruit someone for his seat) else that would run in his place? Are you scared? Are you getting snotty now because you wish you hadn't been?
2. If you wanted to run, this should have been your wish regardless of the opponent. District 8 and the student body do not want or deserve a representative who is scared of a challenge and a political opportunist. (Political opportunist being those that wanted to run, but only if it was an 'easy' race - i.e., not against Mr. King.) So, given that, why weren't your papers ready? Shouldn't you have made your decision (or at least, taken the steps necessary to run in case that be your final decision) well before ten days out?
3. If you wanted to run that badly, and hadn't gotten things ready, why didn't you just figure out a way to get it done? Being an elected official is tough. So is running. Why should district 8 accept representation from someone lazy and whiny?
4. If you were considering a run, you should have called Mr. King and told him. It's common courtesy, and elected officials do it all the time. Then, you could have asked him about his plans, instead of complaining after he made his decision. Why didn't you do this?
In the end, Mr. King did nothing illegal or unethical. Your pent up anger and whining, on the other hand, is taking away from what should be the focus of this race: the issue-oriented debate that Ms. Woods and Mr. Judge want to have. So take five minutes, get over yourself, and let the focus return to where it belongs.
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 11:01am):
Look at these haters above that don't have anything constructive to say, but rather choose to hate away. If you folks have such dear concerns, what have you done to change them excpet hating on the badger herald comment boxes. Probably nothing ... everyone has something to say, but no one has anything to do.
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 1:34pm):
The fact that what Austin King did requires an essay type response (with 4 awful arguments), even if totally legal (which is true), shows there was somethin' shady going on.
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 2:08pm):
The Green Party is exactly what the student body needs... promises to focus on local issues, get elected, and start harping on the Iraq war...
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 3:06pm):
And what's with hating on the Green Party? The last three winning aldermanic candidates and the last five winning county supervisor candidates from this district have been endorsed by them. Most, like Woods, aren't hard-core Greens but appreciate the support, while others like Kumar are more hard-line.
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 4:28pm):
I don't know the beef of the people posting above, but I think it is easy to understand. I doubt most Madison students believe what the Green Party stands for, even if we are a "liberal" bunch. From my standpoint, if we've been consistently electing Green Party candidates, yet the same issues remain (SAFETY, housing issues) then maybe it's time to pull an '06 Midterm on them...
As for the Austin King thing, while I think it is legal, the person who made those four arguments should consider taking a debate class. What he did is pretty "unique" timing.
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 4:31pm):
"There is a thing called Karma, ya know?"
Yep, and it's ashok kumar's religion on facebook...
well he's totally screwed.
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 4:32pm):
shut up phil ejercito/ashok kumar/austin king.
are you all the same person? one mind, or rather, united mindlessly?
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 4:32pm):
"The fact that what Austin King did requires an essay type response (with 4 awful arguments), even if totally legal (which is true), shows there was somethin' shady going on."
I actually think the argument that someone afraid to take on Austin King but willing to take on any other candidate bespeaks political opportunism by some chicken-shit wanting to build their resume is quite compelling. Otherwise, whoever wanted to run would have been quite prepared to do so. On the bright side, Eli Judge once said he would have run against Austin or anyone else, so we can be somewhat confident that he's more than just an opportunist.
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 5:55pm):
damn. they're onto me/us.
-phil ejercito/ashok kumar/austin king
Anonymous (February 1, 2007 @ 7:40pm):
We know that Ashok gets off to this stuff, so it's cool to give him some laughs. But when he decides to play "grown up" in a decade, maybe two, some of the things he has done will actually haunt him.
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