Of the three Madison Common Council districts holding primaries other than Dist. 2, the most interesting is student-dominated Dist. 8, where four candidates are running for the seat being vacated by Ald. Eli Judge, who's heading off to law school. They are: Bryon Eagon, Katrina Flores, Jacob Schmidt and Mark Woulf.
Eagon, 20, is a native of Winneconne, Wis. He came here to attend the UW-Madison, where he's now a junior majoring in political science and communication arts. Eagon, who served on the UW student council, is endorsed by the Democratic Party of Dane County. His priority is safety, and he wants the city council to consider strategic lighting, neighborhood watch programs and cab stand funding. Other concerns include sustainability, tenant rights and transportation.
Woulf, 20, is a Denver native and a political science and sociology major at the UW, where he serves on the Alcohol and Other Drug Task Force. He is interested in safety, tenant rights and the environment.
"Issue No. 1, no question, is the safety of not only the students, but all of the citizens of Madison as a whole," says Woulf. "Currently, there is a problem with the priorities of law enforcement, namely in Dist. 8. Law enforcement feels forced to deal with house parties and bar raids instead of concentrating on the most important issue, patrolling on the street where violent crime persists."
Flores and Schmidt did not respond to queries. According to The Daily Cardinal, Schmidt, 20, wants to improve public safety and economic growth, and Flores, 30, wants to improve residential rights, sustainability and community arts.
In Dist. 7, three candidates are vying to replace Ald. Zach Brandon. The candidates are Steve King, Jeremy Ryan, and Aric Vander Werff.
King, a trainer at Meriter Hospital, has been endorsed by the Democratic Party of Dane County. Among his concerns are schools, neighborhood safety and efficient government. He says he's committed to listening to constituents and leading through collaboration with other council members. Vander Werff, an Iraq veteran and avionics technician with the Wisconsin Air National Guard, wants to promote fiscal responsibility, economic development and a "common sense rewrite of the zoning code."
In Dist. 17, Ald. Joe Clausius faces Scott Schroeckenthaler and Chuck Litweiler. Litweiler has previously spoken against rebuilding the Tenney Park shelter, as well as "bus wrap" advertising.