University issues up for debate

by Bridget Roby

Monday, March 19, 2007 00:00

With less than three weeks remaining until the spring election, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and candidate Ray Allen shared their views on issues like the Alcohol Density Plan and campus safety in a debate Sunday.

Sponsored by the University of Wisconsin political organization the Roosevelt Institution, the debate focused on the ways the city and students can work together in the political process.

"Any community in the world would just kill for what we have, because we've got 6,000 of the brightest young people coming to our city every year," Cieslewicz said. "We shouldn't take that for granted."

While both Cieslewicz and Allen agreed on the important role students play within the culture, economy and atmosphere of Madison, the two candidates took polar standpoints on many student-related issues, especially plans to curb the rising crime rate downtown.

"The way we've dealt with it has been very efficient," Cieslewicz said. "We've increased police presence and also put a special $100,000 in the budget to help with this — 70 percent of that will go to police overtime, and the rest will go to neighborhood watch programs."

Allen, on the other hand, said investing $100,000 would not nearly be enough to solve the issue of public safety.

"The $100,000 was a small investment," Allen said. "I think we as a city need to have a focus on making sure that wherever you go downtown, you will be safe and you will feel safe."

Allen cited his new 10-10 proposal, which calls for at least 10 new police officers a year to be added to the Madison Police Department over the next 10 years as a demonstration of his commitment to safety.

The two competitors also differed on their support for the city's smoking ban, which became law under Cieslewicz's leadership in 2005. In response to the possibility of exceptions to the current ban, the mayor gave a firm refusal.

"I'm strongly in favor of [the ban] — it's helping health and by all evidence it has helped the industry," Cieslewicz said. "I think the state will eventually follow our lead, and I will fight any attempt to weaken our smoking ban here in Madison."

But Allen said he felt the city of Madison should not lead the trend of smoking bans, but instead only respond if the state takes such action because of its impact on the local economy.

"I think it would be better on a regional or state level because it has an effect on local businesses," Allen said. "We can't create an island that puts our businesses at a disadvantage from the ones right next to them."

Allen also said he opposes the mayor's proposed Alcohol Density Plan, which is intended to stop the increased concentration of bars in the downtown area.

UW senior Naomi Eskin, who attended the debate, said it did a good job focusing on pressing issues on campus.

"When I think back to when I was a freshman, it was never an issue — you could walk anywhere by yourself at night; you would never think twice about it," Eskin said. "I thought [the debate] hit on a lot of important issues, especially safety on campus, and it's unfortunate that more students don't come to these things. You can't complain if you don't vote."

Spring elections will take place April 3, and as the date falls during the university's spring break, Cieslewicz urged students at the debate to file for absentee ballots.