Whether your chief concern is safety, Halloween or promoting a business-friendly atmosphere downtown, Ray Allen deserves your vote for Madison mayor.
After garnering an impressive 30 percent of the vote in the February primary election, successfully weeding out opponents Peter Muñoz and Will Sandstrom, Mr. Allen now faces his toughest challenge of all: uprooting incumbent Mayor Dave Cieslewicz from his spot in City Hall.
Mr. Allen's position on safety is particularly remarkable and succeeds at addressing the concern many students have that local officials are not doing enough to address downtown crime. And while Mr. Allen does support the Downtown Safety Initiative, he acknowledges that it still leaves much to be desired. If elected, he plans to petition for additional police resources, including funding for more private investigators in an effort to catch criminals before they can become repeat offenders. Also, pinpointing poverty as a principle contributor to crime, Mr. Allen would work to allow more residents of underprivileged neighborhoods to buy public housing to help improve their lives and the city as a whole.
Further, Mr. Allen shares our concern regarding the installation of WiFi-enabled security cameras, which are part of the downtown safety plan. Unlike Mr. Cieslewicz, he fully understands many residents think government video surveillance constitutes privacy infringement. Accordingly, Mr. Allen views the cameras merely as a quick fix to make up for too few police officers and not as a permanent solution to city crime.
And, unlike his opponent, Mr. Allen views Halloween as a positive event for the city, rather than a disaster waiting to happen. He shares our objection to charging an entry fee to a public street — an idea spearheaded by Mr. Cieslewicz last year — and generally thinks the city should welcome and promote the celebration. He even plans to lobby the state Legislature to extend bar time in an effort to prevent the mass exodus that occurs at 2 a.m. We recognize this is unlikely to be approved but give him kudos for at least trying. Mr. Allen's genuine excitement about the Halloween celebration has us looking forward to an October with him at the helm.
Mr. Allen also has his eye on the business side of things. He adamantly opposes the Alcohol Density Plan — which would put the kibosh on any new bars seeking a spot downtown — and agrees that limiting the number of bars will only make matters worse by driving students to attend unregulated house parties. Additionally, he has taken a stand against the city's smoking ban — championed by Mr. Cieslewicz — noting that it gives communities surrounding Madison a competitive edge.
With transportation emerging as a hot-button issue this election season, it is refreshing to hear Mr. Allen's responsible approach to the debate. He advocates improving the current bus system, exploring the possibility of expanding roadways and even developing park-and-ride programs to cut down on traffic congestion during rush hour. In contrast to Mr. Cieslewicz's streetcar fantasy, we appreciate Mr. Allen's realism and are confident he will address Madison's growing needs in a pragmatic way.
Mr. Allen has also voiced concern about the "anti-oath," which permits city officials to announce their opposition to the gay-marriage ban upon being sworn into office. He agrees that the oath could be a slippery slope in the future and could undermine the authority of the state Constitution.
Last, Mr. Allen repeatedly expressed his desire to give students a bigger role in city politics. He plans to hold meetings in various neighborhoods and encourages students to visit City Hall more frequently.
There is no doubt that the combination of Mr. Allen's proactive approach, optimism and experience on the Madison School Board is just what Madison needs in a mayor. No matter how you cast your vote — absentee or otherwise — we strongly urge you to cast your vote in Mr. Allen's favor.
