District 1, The Dane County Board
Of all the names on the ballot tomorrow, the Dane County Board of Supervisors District 1 election probably has the greatest effect on students, and the most reputable candidate is Scott McDonnell.
District 1 encompasses much of the UW-Madison campus and the State Capitol. Therefore, the candidates have focused, in part, on issues regarding downtown development and living costs for students. McDonnell's opponent, Frank Harris, means well, but he is up against an experienced contender who has devoted the last six years to this city.
McDonnell was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 1996. He currently chairs the Personnel and Finance Committee and is co-chair of Transport 2020, a transportation planning committee. His ideas for both encouraging city development and keeping rent costs down by having more housing than students are pragmatic.
Although Harris promises to increase funding to the Tenant Resource Center, he is once again facing tough opposition, since McDonnell used to be on the Board of Directors for the Center, and probably understands the committee better.
The candidates' biggest issue, however, regards the creation of a commuter rail system. Harris opposes such a system citing costs-such a system has a $188 million price tag-and wants to increase the use of the Madison Metro Bus system. But urban sprawl has become a major issue in Madison, and a rail system may be the only way to check sprawl.
McDonnell has received endorsements from the people he would be working with, including Dane County Supervisor Kathleen Falk and Mayor Dave Ciesliewicz.
The Who's Who of Madison have all endorsed McDonnell; The Daily Cardinal would like to add its name to thelist as well.
Harris, a UW-Madison senior, may have a better understanding of students, but he is in over his head. McDonnell has experience, reasoned ideas and friends in high places. Vote McDonnell for District 1.
School Board:
Alix Olson, Shwaw Vang and Johnny Winston Jr.
School board members should be judged on their ties to the community and their support of teachers. Olson has the support of teachers' unions and touts school safety at a time when the issue is extremely important for the school district. Winston will have the ability to unify the board through his experience in community service, and Vang, the incumbent, has proven his determination to improve minority achievement and school technology.
