University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Tuesday, March 3, 2015
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Soglin, Resnick spar in mayoral debate By Michael Frett THE DAILY CARDINAL
Madison Mayor Paul Soglin and Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, clashed Monday night over tackling the city’s racial and economic divides in the one of the first major one-on-one debates for the 2015 Mayoral Election. While both Soglin and Resnick agreed that resolving problems with the homeless and making the city more inclusive were priorities, they sparred over how to achieve those goals. Soglin, elected mayor in 2011 after previously holding the position from 1973 to 1979 and again from 1989 to 1997, defended his actions on those issues while confronting criticism that he was too old to be mayor for a growing city. “Old, gray, bland and tired has done a lot,” Soglin said. “We participated with the
county … and now we have the Rethke Project … which is going to house some of the worst cases of homelessness in our community.” Soglin also mentioned his proposed $25 million housing plan, which he said—barring any further increase in the number of homeless in Madison— could “eliminate homelessness.” According to Resnick, this was not enough. “I look at the 41 percent increased homelessness population in the city of Madison from four years ago ... and I find that unacceptable,” said Resnick, who supported more immediate measures like drug counseling and emergency housing. “Housing first is the right strategy, but the approach the mayor’s putting forward will take years before we see
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CONG GAO/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Madison Mayor Paul Soglin and Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, agree on what the city’s issues are, but clash over potential resolutions for homelessness, equity and technology disparities.
Right-to-work nears final passage By Andrew Bahl THE DAILY CARDINAL
Proponents and critics of a proposed right-to-work bill sparred at a public hearing Monday, as the bill cleared another hurdle on its way to the Assembly floor. Elected officials and representatives from pro-business and prounion organizations gave testimony long past the scheduled 8 p.m. end time before the Assembly Labor Committee. Wisconsin citizens also spoke, including many who arrived well before the 10 a.m start time. State Rep. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, who is a co-sponsor of the Assembly bill, touted the individual freedom the bill would create for workers.
Gerald Miller, a manufacturing engineer for Caterpillar Global Mining, spoke against the bill, lambasting the committee for “representing special interests” and not their constituents. “This bill is wrong across the board,” Miller said. “It’s disgusting, despicable, and I will take note of every assemblyman who votes for it so we can clean house in the next election.” Tim Silha, president of the Janesville chapter of the United Auto Workers, said the right-towork bill would “destroy” efforts to bring General Motors back to southeastern Wisconsin, specifi-
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Wisconsin Union to raise student wages
WEST JOHNSON STREET
Car strikes Metro Transit bus
By Gabrielle DiBenedetto THE DAILY CARDINAL
A bus was struck from behind by a car on the 800 block of West Johnson Street just outside Sellery Hall. Police say no one was injured. + Photo by Emily Buck
UWPD reports sexual assault in dorm A UW-Madison student was sexually assaulted by an acquaintance in a Southeast residence hall early Sunday morning, according to a UW-Madison Police Department incident report. The victim was sleeping when the assailant entered the residence hall room and committed the assault, according to the report. The victim originally reported the assault to Residence Life
“Promoting individual freedom maximizes individual prosperity,” Kapenga said. “This is about giving workers freedom.” James Sherk, senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, also testified in favor of the bill, saying the bill would bolster the state’s economy. “Unions are cartels and … come with losses for the rest of society,” Sherk said. His testimony came under fire from state Rep. Tod Ohnstad, D-Kenosha. Ohnstad asked Sherk if he believed unions helped build the middle class, a statement which Sherk rejected. “Well that’s where you and I disagree,” Ohnstad replied.
Sunday evening, but did not report the incident to UWPD. UWPD Public Information Officer Marc Lovicott said the department will not be investigating the assault further. UWPD alerted students about the incident through a timely warning email sent out Monday morning in compliance with the federally mandated Clery Act for campus safety.
The Student Services Finance Committee approved the Wisconsin Union’s 2015-’16 fiscal year budget Monday, which would roughly command a 2 percent increase to raise student wages from $8.50 to $8.65. “The Wisconsin Union provides a lot of good services that everyone in this room enjoys. I have no problem with the budget increase as it stands,” SSFC Secretary Hoyon Mephokee said. Representative Jessica Franco-Morales explained that the Union has shown trends of supporting high student wages. She stated that approving this grant and increasing wages shows they are committed.
Bluegrass charisma captivates opera house
+ ARTS, page 5
Franco-Morales then suggested an even higher increase, but Vice Chair Thuy Pham expressed the need for caution. “I would be happy with it but right now we are having a lot of cuts,” Pham said, “I would just like to be a little more careful with increasing them.” Chair Devon Maier said that SSFC and Associated Students of Madison have had many conversations with the Union over the course of the year as opposed to other organizations where it is a rushed two-week discussion that mocks “a cat and mouse game.” SSFC funds the Wisconsin Union non-allocable segregated fees, which means the group can only make a budgetary recommendation to
Chancellor Rebecca Blank who then has final say. This differs from SSFC’s allocable portion of fees in which ASM has direct authority and mostly funds student organizations. “It is important to work closely with the non-allocable units, due to the size and scope of everything they do,” Maier said. Maier credited the unanimous, quick decision to the solid communication between the Union and SSFC. “There were very little surprises when the time to review the budget rolled around,” Maier said. The final approved budget is $10,586,316.
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Right-to-work + OPINION, page 6
An attack on working Wisconsinites
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”