Sixteen candidates for Dane County’s Board of Supervisors participated in a forum Thursday night hosted by Our Wisconsin Revolution to promote policy priorities and goals for the county.
All 37 seats on the board are up for election on April 3 but only five districts have contested races, three of which — Districts 6, 11 and 15 — will have primaries on Feb. 20.
Our Revolution, a nationwide organize created to maintain the political momentum established by Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential primary, works to promote progressive policies through grassroots political campaigns.
What was discussed?
Candidates promoted their top two policy goals, which by the last candidate established two consistent priorities.
The first was racial disparity in Dane County.
According to a 2013 baseline report by Race to Equity, the 2011 unemployment rate of African Americans in Dane County was 25.2 percent compared to 4.8 percent of white residents. Additionally, in 2011, more than 50 percent of African-Americans lived below the federal poverty line.
Numerous candidates mentioned reforming the local prison and improving affordable housing to improve these disparities, among other solutions.
In November, the current board approved a $76 million dollar jail renovation program which was met with significant criticism, namely activists fighting for prison reform.
Al Matano, the incumbent for District 11, acknowledged he voted to finance the jail project after originally voting against it.
“Sometimes you have to look at some things not from a decision point but as an opportunity not to burn bridges,” he said.
The second major issue was climate change and sustainability. Pam Porter, running for District 6, highlighted the abundance of blue-green algae in Madison’s local lakes this past summer, which can produce toxins harmful to fish and humans.
“I’m running for the board because we should elect someone who understands the law, understands the science and scope of the problem and someone who has a vision for sustainable agriculture,” she said.
Why should students care?
David Pelikan, spokesman for UW-Madison College Democrats, believes there are four primary reasons why students should be interested in the county election: innovation, affordable housing, job growth and sexual assault prevention.
“The county has a supporting role in helping groups like the rape crisis center so that people in those situations can get the help that they need,” he said.
Pelikan added that while the College Democrats do not endorse Our Wisconsin Revolution, they believe that progressive policies are important to the Democratic Party.
“I think especially for our age group, and for students and for many people across the country, progressive policies are the way to go,” he said.
Which districts matter to students?
While UW’s campus doesn’t lie directly on one of the five contested districts, District 6 is the closest, encompassing a majority of the northern border along Lake Monona including the entirety of Williamson Street.
The candidates vying for the seat promoted improved transportation and affordable housing as resources they will fight for to better assist students.
Britt Cudaback, who herself is finishing her law degree, cited her own student debt and said she knows the obstacles students face.
“That’s something I bring to the table insofar as that’s a barrier that students have to overcome,” she said. “We need someone who understands what it means to have to work full-time and go to school.”
Another candidate, Yogesh Chawla, added that county supervisors need to make it easier for students to vote.
“We need to prioritize student participation in government and one way to do that is by making it easier for students to vote,” he said.
