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Langdon plans Capitol Neighborhoods secession
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Student representatives said Tuesday they are currently crafting plans to remove the State and Langdon Street area from a neighborhood association in the wake of a controversial alcohol policy proposal.
Ald. Eli Judge, District 8 — which contains the State-Langdon area — said he has been approached with a large number of complaints from constituents reacting to Capitol Neighborhoods, Inc.’s recent alcohol crackdown proposal, which includes doubling citations for underage drinking, requiring ID scanners in 50 percent of bars and increasing the beer tax.
“The position of State-Langdon in CNI was not as strong as they had hoped,” Judge said. “Their views and voices were not acknowledged as strongly or adequately as some had hoped.”
According to a draft of the letter to CNI obtained by The Badger Herald, “representatives from State-Langdon agree that the members of CNI are unwilling to make logical, reasonable changes to downtown living that can not only increase the safety and prosperity of the community, but the campus as well.”
Judge said he proposed removal from CNI as a possible course of action to members of the Associated Students of Madison involved in the State-Langdon organization.
“The discussion between CNI and students has been lacking as of late, and I hope that after whatever happens, our two groups will be able to communicate in improved fashion from then on,” Judge said.
The State-Langdon area was an autonomous neighborhood association, directed by Jeff Erlanger before CNI rolled it into the larger organization in 2005. Currently, Jessica Pavlic, a member of ASM, chairs the State-Langdon neighborhood area.
Ledell Zellers, president of CNI, said a State-Langdon area representative has contacted her, requesting to raise the area’s concerns with CNI’s alcohol policies as a point of discussion.
“I mean, we took [the State-Langdon association] in a few years ago. If they feel that they would be better served by not having a neighborhood association or by having different organization, that is certainly something we should talk about, that they could certainly do if they wanted to,” Zellers said.
Jeff Wright, chair of ASM’s shared governance committee, does not live in the State-Langdon area but said he is in support of the withdrawal.
“I completely understand their sentiment. They feel CNI is not representing students the way students should be represented,” Wright said.
Since neighborhood associations do not operate under ordinance, Zellers said she does not see State/Langdon’s possible withdrawal as a question of what CNI will or will not allow it to do.
“I don’t see it as a big deal, I guess,” she said. “Neighborhood associations do change periodically.”
State-Langdon representatives plan to present their intentions to the executive board of CNI in writing at a meeting on March 25, Judge said, adding they will present letters from other area constituents.
If the State-Langdon area does remove itself from CNI in light of the Alcohol Issues Committee’s January proposal, Judge said the neighborhood would be doing so with his complete support.
“If State-Langdon does secede, I don’t claim to have a structure in my head, but I’m sure I will be working closely with ASM in recreating and maintaining the new student neighborhood,” Judge said. “I have great hopes it will expand beyond just State-Langdon, perhaps the entire campus.”
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why would you even report on this? like anyone cares or can tell you what these groups do?
YAY!!!!
By the way it’s LangDon but nice work!
For shame, students… When will you learn that Ledell Zellers and Fred Mohs and CNI know best? They’re like your parents who no longer live with you or know what you’re doing or can relate to you in any way, shape, or form, and therefore, they know best how to tell you what’s best for you! For shame! When the Downtown Civil War breaks out, I know whose side I’m on! - Germain Q. Stemme
Some of CNI’s policies are pretty silly, but requiring ID scanners is a smart call. It’s just enforcing current law.
CNI is a private group—and their proposals are simply that—proposals-“Withdrawing” from CNI is a meaningless gesture. If State-Langdon folks have concerns about anything at all, they have full and complete access to the press and to the court of public opinion. Oh, and by the way, back when Jeff Erlanger was running the State-Langon group, he would have problems getting two people to show up to his meetings, at all.
Making beer less accessable? I thought we lived in Wisconsin?
CNI = Nazi Germany
Nice try passing the ID scanners off as your own reporting.
GREAT NEWS! GOOD LUCK ELI!
Love it. One person bitches about this action being pointless… Another points out that CNI’s proposals are non-binding, largely symbolic.
Well, no shit…
This action, too, is symbolic. Showing students to be pissed. And it reflects directly upon students. Therefore the paper reports on it.
Christ, some folks are dense these days.
It’s so freaking apparent these comments are overrun by non UW students
good job Eli; I don’t want my alcohol taxed.
ID Scanners are useless. They check for a barcode, which almost all fakes have, and MAYBE take a picture. Neither of which stop an 18 year old from getting into a bar.
There is no substitute for a bouncer actually checking each ID thoroughly.
The tax increase on beer, and the doubling of drinking citations should infuriate any student living in that area. We are in college and do not need some stupid neighborhood watch group to make us pay MORE money to the government. I might be okay with the doubling of citations if it meant that the money we paid would actually be put to use IN the langdon state area, but everyone should know by now that does NOT happen.
yes! this is long overdue. Enough with zellers and mohs.
This was not supposed to be reported yet. Shame on the Herald for using it’s “insider” to ultimately hurt the students.
Fred Mohs represents the last vestage of the landed genry bullshit ideology that is the mindset of a few, powerful individuals. Not all rich are like this, but those who are make worthless their money. No matter how much “clout” they may have they can never buy a soul. And it is this emptyness that drives their bitterness.
while i disagree with cni, i do think it’s too bad that the only thing we seem to ever get really upset about is when someone threatens to make alcohol harder to get.