Mayor Paul Soglin introduced plans at a press conference Monday for the city to invest money it has spent on the Mifflin Street Block Party in summer youth programming.
Soglin said he hopes stricter policies for this year’s event will decrease attendance and create savings that can be reallocated in the future. His plan reappropriates city money for use in summer youth programs, such as full-time summer camps, by using a portion or all of the nearly $190,000 Mifflin cost the city last year.
“[With all those funds] we could basically get 100 kids into a day camp for the summer,” Soglin said.
Soglin used a large prop check made out to “Youth Summer Programs” with “Reinvestment from Mifflin Block Party Funds” written on the memo line to illustrate his point during the meeting.
“Over here we've got a check. Right now it's made out for $190,000,” Soglin said. “That represents the costs for law enforcement for the Mifflin Street Block Party.”
Soglin also emphasized the issues the Mifflin Street Block Party causes, which he said include increased sexual assaults, excessive alcohol consumption and physical violence.
“If anyone in this community, starting with students, wants to have a safe, reasonable party that is just fine, but we can't have a continuation of what has been going on the last couple of years,” Soglin said. “We can't have that risk to the health and safety of the participants and those who attend.”
Madison Police Department Chief Noble Wray, who also spoke at the press conference, responded to the controversy surrounding the expected increase of police enforcement this year. Wray insisted MPD will act similarly to last year.
“Our enforcement posture is going to be the same,” Wray said. “We will hold people accountable for their actions.”
Soglin also responded to student outcries that they are not being allowed to carry on the student tradition of throwing a party on Mifflin.
“Yes, there is a right to party, but that right to party can't infringe upon the safety of others and it shouldn't infringe upon our concern for city resources,” Soglin said.
