Paul Soglin: Waxing America

Wisconsin Will Miss Marlin Schneider

Representative Marlin Schneider (D-Wisconsin Rapids) has been in the Wisconsin Assembly since 1970.  That's right, forty years of service, which will end next year as Schneider was defeated in the tsunami of stupid on election day. That makes "snarlin' Marlin" the longest-serving member of the Assembly ever.

You make a lot of friends and a lot of enemies in forty years. Marlin Schneider did not suffer fools lightly, and probably made more of both than most legislators.

I first met Marlin Schneider in 1981, when a project from a class I taught in UW-Madison's Department of Urban and Regional Planning generated a draft cable TV subscriber privacy policy.  Schneider has always been a personal privacy zealot, and the project formed the basis of the Wisconsin Cable Privacy Act of 1981 (Section 134.43 of Wisconsin Statutes), which Schneider sponsored and pushed through the legislature. I still treasure a red pen Governor Lee Sherman Dreyfus used to sign the legislation into law.

I worked with Marlin on many issues over the years, and on most we were on the same side.  When we were not, he gently explained why I was wrong, or why my position was politically impossible to sustain even if correct. Even when he was refuting my testimony against telecommunications deregulation in 1994, he made sure to flash me a wink while calling me an "ivory tower intellectual." "Snarlin' Marlin" was his schtick, not his real personality.

But Marlin Schneider never hestitated to tell it like he sees it. Here's a bit of his post-election missive on Republican control of Wisconsin government:

Unlike (the) Republicans, Democrats won’t abandon their duty when in the minority. But I am sure their attempts at bipartisanship will be shunned. Building broad support has never really mattered to Republicans. Democrats are the big-tent party with diverse perspectives who take on the hard work of solving complex problems, not just saying no. They, by contrast, excel at shutting out outside thinking to pursue their ruling cabal’s agenda, which they now intend to ram down our throats unopposed or even unnoticed. That means two years of gutting aid for health, education and the environment, squandering opportunities to upgrade our infrastructure and safeguard our future, abandoning working families’, women’s rights and gay rights and ballooning our deficit to cut taxes for wealthy corporations.

...Republicans have all the levers of power. So keep a close eye on what they do these next two years. Citizen vigilance is the only check on their power that remains.

We'll miss Marlin Schneider in the Wisconsin Assembly. I don't see anyone around to take his place.

- Barry Orton

 

Overture: Next Steps

Madison common council member Mark Clear is offering a new proposal that requires private ownership of the Overture arts facility, unlike the original Focus Model that requires city ownership. That is a bold and favorable step in the right direction for the short term, but it does not provide a long term solution.

 

Clear's recommended proposal should be viewed as an interim solution.

Clear's proposal also calls for privatization of the work force. That needs to be changed. For the next two two years, despite the serious problems of having a work force employed by the city and directed by 201 State, the non-profit operator, the workers should remain public employees. That is because we do not know the final arrangement for Overture in 2012.

Clear's proposal would be amended to call for the appointment of a Madison Commission on Overture.

That commission is an independent body with representation from the city government, 201 State Street, prospective donor, resident companies, members of the arts community with no association with Overture, and interested citizens with no allegiance to any specific arts organization or Overture.

That body should conduct three studies. First an examination of the potential for long term private giving that will lead to a building endowment fund, secondly an independent examination of the building and its financial, and thirdly an inventory of Madison's artistic needs.

The artists and their audiences are the base of any operating model for Overture

It is this last point that is most critical and it should have been the focus in 2000, 2005, 2008, and 2010.

I personally want to apologize to Madison's artists, the performers, and the audiences. Those of us who served on the Ad Hoc Overture Committee had little time to hear from you. We were presented with the AMS study and the constraints upon us required that we look at the financial and the building itself.  Maybe this time we can get it right.

As a community we must look at our needs as artists and their audiences and then we will know the best structure for the operation of Overture.

When the study is completed, I do not know if the recommendation will be public ownership, my original preference, or private ownership.

When the study is completed, I do not know if the recommendation will be public management, my original preference, management as envisioned by 201 State, which I find unacceptable, or management by another non-profit more responsive and representative of the community, an acceptable alternative.

When the study is completed we will have a better knowledge of the staffing needs and which employees should be public and private.

In any case, we will make better decisions with better results because of a better process.

Mortenson Report Gives Reason for Optimism

In the meantime the first of several new reports is available.

This independent report on Madison's Overture Center for the Arts indicates that the facility is in fairly good shape. There are several areas of concern that need further explanation:

• The report is optimistic about the tile floor which suffered from from red wine spills to high heels cracking and puncturing the surface. The report suggests that the sealant is working and that the floor should survive for another 15 years. In several of my visits to Overture on the days following performances of Wicked I spotted fresh punctures in the tile floor. I am curious as to how many punctures like this the floor can withstand and how the sealant helps to prevent them.
• There is no mention of the 700 different lamps in the facility, that many are energy inefficient, and that the German manufacturer of some of them indicated they will discontinue their production. Does the absence of a discussion on this subject mean that Mortenson feels that the subsequent refurbishing costs are insignificant?
• If the lamp issue is significant, are there additonal design areas of concern not covered in the report?
• The capital budget is analyzed for 15 years. My experience is that capital budget analysis is usually 20 years , or at least multiples of 10. I am wrong? Sorry if I am.
• Besides the lighting issue, are there other costs associated with bringing the facility up to city energy efficiency standards?

 

 

The story was first reported by yesterday in The Capital Times by  Kristin Czubkowski in her Laptop City Hall column, Council working on model for private Overture Center,and subsequently in the Wisconsin State Journal by Deam Moisman, In a major change, officals will consider private ownership of Overture.

 

 

Another Madison Institution Gone: The Fruit Stand On UW-Madison's Library Mall Closes

George Hesselberg was the right reporter to write this story. Eric Roang, the proprietor of the Fruit Stand, has packed up his fruit and stand into his truck for the last time. He will be sorely missed on the UW-Madison campus.

Eric Roang, 59, garrulous owner and operator, temporary confidant to thousands of apple-polishers, opened in 1980 with "a few boxes of fruit on a couple of planks" adding fresh fruit to the menu for thousands of students and workers.

In addition to the recent opening of a new, full-line supermarket nearby, Roang said "the nature of pedestrian traffic here has changed."

The university has moved administrative offices away from the corridor, which cut into business from workers, he noted. Business this year is down 50 percent, he said. And attracting student walkers to trail mix, apples and oranges is not easy when eyes and attention are fixed on their cell-phones, Roang said.

"We have a whole different ball game than even three years ago," he explained. "People don't talk anymore, they are almost timid. A whole section of our business is attracting people walking by."

He said life after the Fruit Stand may include a run for mayor, which he is looking into and has been thinking about for the last 20 years.

I'm not sure Eric should make the run for mayor, which he has been considering for years.  Mayor Dave isn't going without a fight, and Eric is far too straightforward a speaker to not offend voters with his pronouncements. The County Executive job is more wide-open, but the voters are probably going to want someone a bit more polished.

Two suggestions:

• Locate a permanent, indoor kiosk selling fruit and healthy snacks in the new Union South. Grant the franchise to Eric. Engineering students can be educated to add fruit to their Cheetos and cola diets. Add the Fruit Stand to the list of places that take Athletic Department food vouchers and have Coach tell the team to all eat fruit twice a week. 
• Grant a franchise for the Fruit Stand to operate in the main lobby of the Kohl Center for all of its events. (Insert snarky comment about unhealthy food served at UW athletic events here.)

Otherwise, it's thanks to Eric Horang for 30 years of making Library Mall a more healthy, funny, and welcoming place. Thanks also to Don Helly, Eric's longtime (24 years) sidekick fruit seller and resident philosopher.

Another great Madison institution ends a long run.

- Barry Orton

Poetic Justice Proposal: Russ Feingold For SCOTUS

Here's this week's silver lining fantasy scenario: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 77, who is a survivor of both colon and pancreatic cancer, and lost her husband of 56 years to cancer last June, decides to retire next year to enjoy her grandchildren and her remaining years. President Obama appoints Russ Feingold to the seat, and Feingold, a lion of the Constitution in the Senate, wins confirmation in a walk. (I admitted it is a fantasy.)

- Barry Orton

America Now a Banana Republic - Slate via New York Times via Business Insider

Before reading further, understand that the orginal article is Timothy Noah's The United States of Inequality: Introducing the Great Divergence   in SLATE.

His work was picked up by the New York Times which led to the headline cerated by Business Insider,   reporting IT'S OFFICIAL: America Is Now A Banana Republic

One of the hallmarks of banana republics, says the NYT's Nicholas Kristof, is income inequality. In some countries, the wealthiest 1% of the population takes home 20% or more of the national income.

And now the same is true in America:

The richest 1 percent of Americans now take home almost 24 percent of income, up from almost 9 percent in 1976. As Timothy Noah of Slate noted in an excellent series on inequality, the United States now arguably has a more unequal distribution of wealth than traditional banana republics like Nicaragua, Venezuela and Guyana.

I am not sure which is worse, Republicans who made it happen, or Democrats who refused to stop it and aquiesced.  Thus the heading for this blog:

A candid examination of right-wing policies and the Democrats who play along and the horrid liberal policies designed to assuage the moderates but end up irritating everyone. And other stuff.

This is not other stuff.

 

 

 

Overture Center for The Arts Is Peddling Fish

On Tuesday night the city of Madison Common Council began deliberations regarding the future of the Overture Center for the Performing Arts.

For those uncertain as to the issues, the troubled center has a robust and determined group of supporters (we will call them MCAD/201 STATE) who claim that if the city does not accept their three conditions, the facility 'will go dark.'  This would presumably cast a spell upon the the denizens of Madison, who will forever wear a scarlet letter as a reminder that they ruined the economy, turned their backs on their benefactors, and are clearly uncivilized pagans with no appreciation of the arts.

The fiscal review shows no serious problem - That is not the central financial issue. Overture has had a rocky and troubled fiscal past. Clearly, the books were not reconciled.  MCAD/201 STATE failed to follow generally accepted accounting principles. The real problem is the accuracy of the income projections going forward. Troubled past accounting issues can easily be rectified by hiring competent staff, not an impossible challenge even for Overture's management.  Flawed revenue projections can destroy the facility or at least create havoc for the city of Madison.

Overture shows increased revenues from Broadway touring companies. From coast to coast, major performing arts centers are forecasting a decline in revenues from touring road shows.

Kids in the Rotunda is marvelous, it warms my heart. Yes, it warms mine too. That is why a commitment to free programming for kids was an essential element of the Civic Center from the first planning in 1978. Then it was called Kids in Crossroads.

Kids coming out of the school buses to see the performances is marvelous, it warms my heart. Yesm it does; mine too. That is why a commitment to cheap tickets for kids to see performances was part of the old Civic Center.  

No matter what happens to Overture, the programming for kids will continue. Loving the kids is nice but it does not get to the core issue of making the facility stable. Note: why is it that so many of the people who love the kids' programs are not residents of Madison and don't pay the bills?

If the city of Madison does not accept this deal, Overture goes dark. Here is what happened. A group from  MCAD/201 STATE met with the banks and negotiated a deal - the deal had three key points. These folks get to operate Overture, the city of Madison had to take ownership which means taking the responsibility of maintaining the building, and the city had to agree to terms by December 31, 2010. If the city refused these conditons, Overture goes dark, and it is the city's fault.

Phooey.

This is so simple. Tell the  MCAD/201 STATE people that the city will help out with another $1 million or so a year for Overture (give them the money that claim they need) and these wealthy people can own Overture for a payment of $1.

And if they refuse the offer, Overture goes dark and it is their fault.

See how simple that was?

These are red herrings. I do not know if they are fresh but there is plenty of fish for everyone and more on the way.

Seriously, as the past two months unfolded and I learned more about this proposed deal, I became suspicious as to why MCAD/201 STATE was so determined to have its own way -- it just did not make sense, since there are so many reasonable choices that do not put the city of Madison at risk and yet give the city an opportunity to significantly help Overture.

There is something going on here. There is another agenda item that is not disclosed. And that is part of the entire problem with Overture for the past decade - lack of transparency.

Hopefully, whatever it is will come out before long.

 

Feingold's Loss Is Wisconsin's Loss

I'm too depressed about the loss of Russ Feingold as Wisconsin's US Senator to write a post about it. Matt Rothschild summarized it as well as anyone in his post for the Progressive:

The old rules of politics no longer apply.

You can win every debate, as Feingold did.

You can get practically every newspaper endorsement in the state, as Feingold did, including some very conservative ones.

You can be a loyal and dutiful servant of your constituents, coming home every weekend and visiting every county every year, as Feingold did.

And you can still lose.

One reason is money, and the hideous Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United case, which opened the floodgates.

“Common Cause of Wisconsin estimated the total spent at $40 million to $45 million for the senate race, a record amount. Outside groups spent about $5 million, most of that on ads opposing Feingold,” according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

How ironic it is that Feingold, who more than any other Senator tried to limit the poisonous influence of corporate money in politics, succumbed to that very disease.

...Now Feingold leaves with his dignity and his principles intact.

- Barry Orton

Why The Democrats Lost. The Definitive Words

It is all written down and put in a time capsule to be opened in 100 years. Publishing it would make no difference.

It is good that there are two political parties. Neither could win without the other.

Paul Soglin Supports Ben Manski in the Wisconsin 77th

Ben Manski gets my vote in the Wisconsin 77th Assembly District. The decision is based on his working well with others. Ben is credible and effective in moving a progressive agenda with both Democrats and Republicans.

I look for two qualities in a legislative leader -a commitment to a progressive agenda and the ability to be effective in a difficult environment. I should know - I was in that position forty years ago.

A legislator who is confused about his endorsements and confused about how he arrives at public events (was it by van or bicycle?) is not going to establish a solid working arrangement with colleagues. Those colleagues expect trust, confidence, collegiality, and reliability in drafting and advancing legislation.

Ben Manski can do that; Ben is the only candidate in the 77th who can do that.

Go Ben.

 

update: here is response to Andy and Wayne

 

  I have had to suffer the politics of political purists as much as anyone. After all the Greens and the ideologically rigid did no favors for me in the 2003 election for mayor when they failed to grasp that their inclusionary zoning was doomed to a costly failure (and cast me in the light of being a tool of the real estate industry).

Two observations: there is a difference in being a wheeler-dealer and working well with others. I do not want a wheeler-dealer representing me in my district. Secondly, just as others have 'purity tests' to support a candidate, so do I. Mine include being a Democrat, showing political judgment in the past that is aligned with mine, being trustworthy and an ability to articulate my values.

In this particular election trust and values go to the top of the list. At the best, and I am being generous, there were too many 'honest mistakes' in the Hulsey campaign. A leader with that many mistakes does not represent me.

Wisconsin AD-77: Hulsey Stumbles In Stretch; Manski Gaining As Spencer Black Decries Hulsey's "Problem With Trustworthiness"

The 77th AD race has gotten even uglier. A mailer sent out by Brett Hulsey has boomeranged back and bit him in the ass. Kristin Czubkowski had the story early Saturday morning:

...Friday afternoon, current District 77 Rep. Spencer Black spoke out that Hulsey's campaign had used a made-up quote from him urging voters to choose Hulsey because he "will continue my progressive and environmental tradition," "create jobs, make our schools better and safer, and promote cleaner energy and lakes." The quote was attributed to Black despite his specifically saying not to do so, Black says, and used in a brochure and briefly on Hulsey's website. Made-up quotes are not unusual in the public relations industry, but using them without permission is, for obvious reasons, a faux pas.

Black says in an interview that he was "shocked" when he saw the false quote and that he had originally told Hulsey that "I will say what I have to say in this race."

Black forwarded an e-mail to me sent on Friday morning to Hulsey in which he says this incident is an example of why Hulsey has a "problem with trustworthiness."

"You can't use a statement that I didn't write. I don't let people put words in my mouth," Black writes. "You can't assume someone says something that they didn't or a Congresswoman endorses you when she doesn't."

Brenda Konkel has the full text of the Black-Hulsey email exchange here. The reference to the Congresswoman's non-endorsement is because Hulsey conflated Tammy Baldwin's telephone call congratulating him on winning the Democratic primary into an actual endorsement, which Baldwin later had to correct. The State Journal's story Sunday quoted Black as rubbing salt into Hulsey's wounds:

Retiring Democratic legislator Spencer Black said Saturday he is "rethinking" his support for Brett Hulsey after the Democratic nominee for the 77th Assembly District sent out campaign fliers and e-mails with a made-up statement from Black that Black did not approve.

"Trust is very important," Black said. "It's a key to being effective in the Legislature."

Previously, Waxing America set the odds on Ben Manski winning at 10-1 against, a very long shot. These developments have tightened the race somewhat, but the odds are still very much against a Green Party victory. If you could find any suckers willing to bet real money on Manski, they should get at least a 5-1 payoff. Hulsey is putting new meaning into the phrase "winning ugly."

UPDATE: Paul Soglin's endorsement of Ben Manski today lowers his odds again.  Morning line on election day is now 3-1.

- Barry Orton