After many citizens e-mailed him with complaints, Mayor Paul Soglin unilaterally decided to replace benches after city officials voted last week to remove them from the 500 block of State Street.
City officials decided last Thursday to remove the benches in front of Taco Bell and Jimmy John's in response to recurring complaints from business owners about repetitive drug deals conducted by individuals loitering on the benches.
According to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, several citizens e-mailed Soglin over the weekend with complaints about how the benches are not there for law-abiding citizens to rest on. Others said it was an attack on the homeless.
Verveer said the Soglin's main argument in replacing the benches involves tackling the root of the problem, which is addressing the drug dealing occurring on State Street, instead of removing benches drug dealers use.
""I did express my displeasure [to the mayor] that the benches were reinstalled despite the committee's very well-reasoned approach,"" Verveer said. ""With winter approaching it won't be an issue over the upcoming months, but it will be an issue come spring.""
Verveer said Soglin intends to create a city staff team to examine issues such as overcrowding downtown, especially concerning the placement of sidewalk cafes, merchant vending, benches and bicycle racks.
