As finals approach, summer break is on the minds of many students here on campus. But summer is also a time for state lawmakers to kick back and relax.
Gov. Jim Doyle plans to spend some time this summer in northern Wisconsin working, golfing and fishing. ""That's the way the governor likes to relax,"" said his spokesperson Carla Vigue.
There are no out of state vacations on the calendar for Wisconsin's governor.
""Well, the governor likes Wisconsin,"" Vigue said. ""Of course he is going to spend his vacation time in Wisconsin.""
Like Doyle, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz faces a steady stream of work during the warm months.
""City government continues to chug away throughout the summer,"" Mayor spokesperson George Twigg said. He admitted Cieslewicz's summer schedule is a little more open for free time, despite the ""somewhat busy"" atmosphere of summer city politics in Madison.
Cieslewicz plans to visit Door County this summer and partake in a ""little bit of biking, hiking, enjoying the weather and the water up there,"" according to Twigg.
In late June, Cieslewicz will be spending several days in Los Angeles to attend the ""Mayor's Innovation Project."" Mayors from across the country meet to discuss projects and innovations in their respective city. The trip also will mark Cieslewicz's first visit to the City of Angels. Some ""sightseeing"" is on the mayor's schedule while in California, Twigg said.
And to escape the office while still in the Madison area, Cieslewicz will partake in his annual ""Dawn to Dusk Marathon, City Golf Tour,"" a day where the mayor swings for 72 holes at a city golf course.
State legislators recess once they pass the budget. Therefore, they get several months during mid summer to bask in a break from their political duties.
State Sen. Spencer Cox, D-Milwaukee, plans to enjoy his city after the state Senate breaks. Cox said he is an avid attendee of Summerfest—the world's largest music festival—and one of Milwaukee's highlights. Cox said he enjoys ""overstuffing"" himself at the taco stand at the ""Big Gig,"" and especially looks forward to seeing one of his favorite artists, Morris Day and the Time, perform.
Cox will also spend time in Boston at a national state senator's conference. His daughter lives in Boston, so he and his wife will be ""mixing business with pleasure"" while in New England.
During break, state Rep. Steve Wieckert, R-Appleton, said he plans to spend a week in Door County with his wife and also help out his district's Habitat for Humanity program.
In addition, Wieckert plans to participate in the ""Best Damn Bike Tour"" that raises money for Multiple Sclerosis.
""My friends and I go on that and we just see who can be the fastest,"" Wieckert said. Wieckert, in tip-top shape, said he generally beats those friends on the bike ride from Whitewater to Beaver Dam.
""I can ride a bike pretty well,"" he said. He jokes among friends that he even beats them using his 20-year-old Schwinn bike he nicknamed ""Steel is Real.""
