NEWS
Council delays textbook ID vote
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Also by Courtney Johnson:
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- Woods ahead in fundraising race (March 28, 2007)
- E-mail sparks privacy concern (October 9, 2007)
- Big Ten Network reaches deal with UW housing (August 31, 2007)
- City agency to run Halloween entertainment (May 10, 2007)
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- Council rethinks appointments policy (November 9, 2007)
- Mayor veto on Overture possible (October 20, 2005)
- Freshman alders prepare to serve (April 10, 2007)
- City rejects employee's domestic partner grievance (February 28, 2007)
by Courtney Johnson
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
After being sworn in Tuesday afternoon, the newly elected City Council went straight to business, with many choosing to immediately take a political stand.
While taking their oaths of office, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and 10 out of 20 city alders chose to publicly protest November's marriage amendment.
Once in session, the City Council delayed a vote that would establish new regulations on used-textbook sales in Madison to an upcoming meeting.
If passed, the proposed ordinance would require students to show identification when selling back their textbooks and would require stores to write down students' names and what textbooks they sold back.
The proposal, which was introduced last session by former Common Council President Austin King, was debated by members of the freshly elected City Council, which officially gathered for the first time last night.
The proposed ordinance came after a series of textbook thefts by drug addicts who sold them to Underground Textbook Exchange and University Bookstore for quick cash.
Newly elected Ald. Eli Judge, District 8, who is also a University of Wisconsin sophomore, spoke in favor of the ordinance Tuesday night. He said he talked to members of his classes, and in a 25-person class, three students had experiences with book theft.
"They said that it wasn't only when it came to money why this was important to them. If you lose a book, your grades go down, in particular, with finals coming up," Judge said.
However, representatives from A Room of One's Own and Underground Textbook Exchange were present to speak in opposition to the proposal. They said the ordinance would increase their paperwork since they would have to record every transaction regarding the return of a used textbook.
Sandy Torkelson, of A Room of One's Own, also expressed concern about what would be done with these sales records.
"I don't think that we want the police department holding onto the records of the books that people have read in this city. It's a violation of our civil liberties, and I cannot believe that we would even think about it," Torkelson said.
Troy Gerkey, co-owner of Underground Textbook Exchange, said the ordinance might hurt his business, which depends on the sale of used textbooks. Many students do not carry driver's licenses with them, and if he is required to ask customers for proof of identification when they attempt to resell textbooks, some students may leave.
Gerkey also said he does not think this ordinance is necessary, as some of the people who were responsible for last year's textbook thefts were arrested.
"I thought we had sort of solved this problem of these individuals," Gerkey said, adding his store helped the UW Police Department identify the textbook thieves.
However, newly elected City Council President Mike Verveer, District 4, who also serves as Assistant District Attorney for Dane County, said this textbook theft incident was not isolated.
"It is not just one ring of drug addicts that are stealing and reselling used textbooks, and now the problem's gone away — absolutely not," Verveer said. "These cases occur all the time, and it's not a problem that has only come up recently."
Besides the textbook proposal, the City Council also discussed and unanimously approved a resolution to honor the visit of the Dalai Lama, who will be in Madison from May 2-4. The resolution also calls for the Tibetan flag to be placed in City Hall.
Anonymous (April 18, 2007 @ 4:49am):
I really, really just don't understand why Eli of all people refused to take a stand against the marriage ban. I'm just disappointed, and frankly, kind of hurt.
Anonymous (April 18, 2007 @ 8:45am):
I'm proud my alder wants to get back to I dont know... stopping me from getting mugged, as opposed to supporting these symbolic resolutions. Taking oaths when it supports your side is great, but I'm worried about the next alder who takes a special oath to oppose parts of the constitution that are more popular, say freedom of speech?
The council (and local media) should have spent its energy getting back to business and helping the city run more effectively.
Anonymous (April 18, 2007 @ 8:49am):
You don't think being Chair of Students for a Fair Wisconsin was enough to prove that he was against the ban?
Anonymous (April 18, 2007 @ 9:42am):
4:49am: Your fake agony is oozing on to the screen. Care to clean it up? Odds are high you're not gay and one of 3 people. Odds are also high, that because you call him out on an article that never mentions the oath, that you're one of those non-students who trolls around on the BH.
I know people in the LGBTCC, no one knew about the oath. This was a cute little stunt for local officials to score some points, maybe get this off their mind. Judge spent the hours doing the bitch-work to fight the amendment, turning out thousands of students against the ban. As someone who is a strong supporter of LGBTQ rights, I'm actually offended the council had this oath. Why couldn't the 10 alders taking it spend that time going to knock on doors and fight against the ban?
Anonymous (April 18, 2007 @ 3:37pm):
449, shut the fuck up? I'm a LGBT student here, I've never actually met Judge, but I also oppose the oath. What about an oath opposing DADT, abortion, or one against the reqs to run for President?
Anonymous (April 18, 2007 @ 5:51pm):
I'm running for ASM on the "let's make an oath against finals" platform
Anonymous (April 18, 2007 @ 8:51pm):
I'm not in any way questioning Eli's personal convictions and dedication to fighting for queer issues. It was in bad form to insinuate that, and I sincerely apologize if that's how my thoughts were taken.
I'm just still honestly baffled by whatever poltical calculus he used to decide not to take the supplemental oath. His blog post about not wanting to make a decision in a hypothetical situation 20 years from now just seemed to be an unsettling excuse for sidestepping the real, current issue before him now.
And @ 9:42am: thanks for claiming a monopoly over my own feelings about queer issues, and for clarifying that no students ever read the Cap Times, the State Journal, or the Isthmus. Oh, and not that it needs repeating or anything, but obviously everyone posting here is either Austin or Ashok.
Anonymous (April 19, 2007 @ 12:24am):
Yeah, taking a stance on an oath is *fighting* a real issue. It really takes care of those 6AM lit drops.
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