The Madison Board of Estimates decided Monday to exclude funding for a new indoor public market from the city’s capital budget. This means that for at least the next year, the plan — which would have included a variety of local vendors, entertainment and cooking demonstrations — is dead.
Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, a vocal supporter of the initiative in the past, cast the deciding vote against the market, citing concerns about the city’s finances, especially in light of the current economic downturn.
The mayor made the right decision, and he should be applauded for his fiscal prudence — a trait he’s become increasingly willing to display, as evidenced by the tight budget he presented to the board earlier this month.
However, criticisms of the market are not restricted to spending concerns. The proposed location — the Brayton surface parking lot three blocks off Capitol Square on East Washington Avenue — is dubious at best. Ald. Tim Gruber, District 11, was likely correct when he labeled the area “a pedestrian dead-zone.” There is simply not a large residential base in the area, and those who do live there are within reasonable distance of Willy Street Co-op. More importantly, the location on the East Side of the Capitol is too far away for the majority of University of Wisconsin students, who would be a more logical customer base if the market were located closer to campus.
We are not unequivocally opposed to the idea of an indoor market. If the area around the Brayton parking lot eventually develops into a greater residential and commercial district, then perhaps the market could provide a worthy contribution to the neighborhood. Until then, however, Cieslewicz and company are making the right choice for Madison.