City Council hopefuls debated Madison-related issues Thursday in the hopes of winning support and votes for the April 7 election.
When asked about public safety, Bryon Eagon and Mark Woulf, candidates for the District 8 seat, agreed nighttime safety is a primary issue the city should address.
“Very little money can go a long way,” Eagon said. “We need to implement a cab stand that will run from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. for people at bar time to get home safely.”
Candidates also discussed the potential for reform of the Downtown Safety Initiative, a plan proposed by Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and the Madison Police Department to increase safety in the downtown area.
According to Eagon, thousands of dollars from the initiative go toward mobile identification scanners, but he believes the money should be used to implement strategic lighting and taxi stands downtown.
The Downtown Safety Initiative also provides money for police overtime, Woulf said, putting more cops on the street at night.
Woulf said he wants initiative funding for neighborhood watch programs not only for the Langdon Street area, which already has an implemented program, but for Mifflin Street, the Vilas Area and apartments near Camp Randall.
Candidates also voiced their concern about the increased Madison Metro fees that were approved at the Jan. 20 City Council meeting.
“We have to improve the quality of Metro,” Bridget Maniaci, a candidate for District 2 alder, said. “Until we get choice riders into the system and get the [Regional Transit Authority] off the ground and get the ball rolling … Metro is in a really sad shape.”
Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2, said she was wary about the price increase, adding she is unsure a regional transit authority is the appropriate solution to settle inflating bus fares.
She added pushing bus services from the downtown to the suburbs may lead to a negative future for the Madison Metro, including decreased ridership.
Woulf said he is not proud to see the overall Metro ridership decrease over the past years because of price increases. He added Metro is a great resource to the community and buses help alleviate traffic by giving people an alternative form of transportation.
Eagon agreed, adding the Metro fee increase was a “tough pill to swallow.” He said the escalating bus prices will cause student fees to increase.
Candidates were also questioned about the success of Freakfest and what bands should play during the festivities this fall.
Woulf said State Street Halloween was especially successful this year because arrests significantly declined.
The first year Freakfest was regulated, Maniaci said she was assigned to book the entertainment. The city had an extremely small budget, according to Maniaci, but if she had the funds, she would have booked Death Cab for Cutie or Sufjan Stevens.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, who was also present at the meeting, is helping to coordinate the May 2 block party on Mifflin Street. Verveer said he spoke to students about specific musical acts and DJs for the festivities but would not disclose more information regarding future plans.
Ald. Marsha Rummel, District 6, was also present at the meeting.
