In response to Mr. Sarlati’s letter to the editor (“Shiva best for District 5”), I would like to address how Hamilton Arendsen would better serve District 5 and would be a far better alderman for the student body. I agree that Shiva Bidar-Sielaff is a valuable asset to the Madison community. However, after witnessing both candidates address the student issues — particularly at the College Democrats endorsement meeting — each candidate’s commitment to their district as a whole was clear and our choice obvious. Hamilton clearly conveyed a deep understanding and appreciation of important student issues, including campus safety, tenants’ rights and including student input in alcohol policy. The only obstacle to an endorsement of Hamilton Arendsen was that he was a bit of an outsider to some local Madison politicians, who preferred that our group endorse Shiva. We elected to go against these politicians’ wishes and endorse the candidate who we felt was more deserving.
Another aspect of Mr. Sarlati’s letter I found unusual were the references to Shiva’s involvement in a plethora of health organizations, as well as her being president of the Police and Fire Commission. While both of these aspects of her experience show a respectable degree of professional achievement, they are not related to neighborhood or student issues. In addition, it should be noted that while Shiva is president of the Police and Fire Commission, the Police Officers’ Union endorsed Hamilton.
Finally, Hamilton has many attributes that would be an excellent advocate for District 5. He obtained a political science degree with a 4.0 GPA from Southern Illinois University and graduated near the top of his class at University of Illinois Law School. After graduating from law school, he worked for both a federal judge and the U.S. Attorney’s Office before joining a progressive law firm in Madison. In addition, he has been a lifelong Democratic activist; his experience includes hands-on work for Gov. Jim Doyle, Sen. Feingold, and most recently, President Obama. Not only will he actually listen to student concerns for a change, but also he will be a strong, independent voice on City Council that is not beholden to any political factions or special interests. This is the type of leadership we need on City Council, and I urge all my fellow students to vote for Hamilton this Tuesday, April 7.
John Riojas
[email protected]
Senior, majoring in zoology
Member of the College Democrats
