First, I would like to express my appreciation to The Badger Herald for the opportunity to comment on issues I think are important to the people of Madison as we envision a bright future for this magnificent city. But before addressing the issues, I would like to take a brief moment to tell you about my background.
Like many people in this wonderful city, I came to Madison to study at the University of Wisconsin, where I graduated from the business school in 1993 with a degree in transportation and public utilities, and also in business administration and human resources management. The irresistible lure of Madison, with its beautiful natural surroundings, attracted my family and I to stay in the city. My wife, Pam, works as the manager for the UW Office of Corporate Relations. While attending the university, I worked for the Department of Natural Resources and became involved in outreach and recruitment activities in the Madison community, including membership in many community and civic organizations such as the police and fire departments and equal opportunities commissions. In 1997, I started a job as assistant to the mayor of Madison, a position that I held for six years. My responsibilities included nine agencies, mostly in the area of public works and public health. I think my education and work experience has prepared me well to serve as Madison’s mayor.
Regarding important issues, public safety is a high priority, particularly for university students, because many criminals prey on them. A recent police-staffing study indicates the need for additional officers to solve these problems. But it is important that we deploy these officers strategically to fight against crime. To this end, I think we need to increase the number of detectives to ensure crimes are thoroughly investigated and criminals are effectively brought to justice to end the arrest-and-release cycle for these criminals.
Another important issue is the need to improve our public transportation system, especially Madison Metro. We must not install trolleys in Madison because they would not only divert operating resources away from Metro but would also thwart Madison’s ability to procure federal grants to improve the bus system. Many people rely on Metro, especially university students. We must improve routes and find ways to better serve Metro’s customers.
The issue of limiting liquor licenses downtown is also important to university students as it may prevent binge drinking. Susan Crowley, director of UW PACE High-Risk Drinking Project, recently suggested the following strategies to address drinking problems. Crowley stated: “These include utilization of electronic ID scanners, responsible beverage server training, keg registration and limiting the discounting of drinks.” However, I think reducing the number of licenses will not reduce drinking; it will just reduce the number of people selling alcohol. We should not discourage desirable licensing proposals that would add value to Madison by providing positive entertainment venues in the city. But in considering these proposals we must keep in mind the potential negative effect these venues may have on students.
There are many other important issues that must be addressed. Among them are the need to be fiscally responsible in utilizing municipal resources, promoting economic development to create more high-value jobs in Madison, and ensuring the quality of basic municipal services such as clean and safe drinking water. These issues are important because they have a direct impact on Madison’s quality of life and the ability of people to find good jobs in our community.
I look forward to working hard to earn the honor and privilege of serving as Madison mayor. The university and its alumni have played a significant role in making Madison one of the best places to live in the world. Students have a tremendous potential to help Madison solve its most difficult problems. As mayor, I would take every opportunity to include students’ valuable input to identify and implement strategies that will ensure we can attain our vision of a brighter future for Madison.
Peter Munoz is a Madison mayoral candidate and the executive director of Centro Hispano.
