Paul Soglin: Waxing America

Our Public Market and Economic Opportunity: Capitalism in Madison

This weekend Ann Althouse mocked -she is good at that- the Madison Public Market:

Either they got more and more interested or they became conscious of the need to look interested. I would expect people, here in Madison, Wisconsin, to be aware of the importance of not looking bored or uncaring when someone comes at you with talk of "inclusiveness" and the "com[ing] together" of "cultures and ethnicities.

There is good reason why the analysis of the Public Market includes a focus on diversity, inclusiveness, and equity.

Here are some of the inputs in the analysis:

• As is usually the case following difficult economic periods, the recovery after the Great Recession was pretty good for middle and upper income households including most professionals. It was bad, and is still challenging, for low income families and individuals.
• The kind of entry-level jobs that used to provide parents opportunities to raise middle class bound children are quickly disappearing:
  
  • Full-time retail positions with advancement and career opportunities are replaced with part-time jobs with no benefits.
  • Entry-level positions in state government and at the University of Wisconsin are disappearing.
•  Wisconsin is dead last in entrepreneurship among the fifty states.                        
•  Madison is the major exception in the Badger State in creating new small businesses.
•  Entrepreneurship as an essential element of our economy is new to Madison because of our historic reliance on the University of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin State government as a job creator.
•  For low-income people of all colors and races, entrepreneurship is one of the few opportunities for accumulating wealth without a college degree.
• The food industry is a robust sector for new businesses; over one-third of all new businesses in the US are founded by immigrants.

There are dozens pf public markets in the United States and they are as varied as their cities. The French Market in Chicago is expensive. It serves mostly highly processed foods to tourists and business people out for lunch.

Pike's Place Market in Seattle still provides a variety of fresh seafood to the locals, but it is expensive and losing its charm as it is now a major tourist destination. One only hopes it does not go the way of San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf.

The Reading Market in Philadelphia is in a class of its own. Its variety of foods, fresh and processed, and its history are unique, as is its relationship to the rail terminal.  When Madison was to have a rail connection to Milwaukee in the pre-Walker era, locating Madison's Public Market in direct proximity to the Madison terminal made sense.

In Minneapolis and York, Pennsylvania, are three different markets for Madison to emulate. The Mercado is Mexican and the Global Market is what its name implies. In York, the market vendors are almost all white, reflecting the population of the community. All three markets, particularity the Mercado and York, are in unassuming buildings, their focus is serving real people, not elites and cosmopolitans.

If Althouse can look beyond her own exclusive world, one reeking in privilege, perhaps she will escape the shackles of her rigid assumption that everything in Madison is crafted by liberals, reeking in socialism. At times these plans are crafted by liberals reeking in capitalism.

       

Wisconsin State Journal: "Have you no sense of decency...Sean Duffy?"

This morning the Wisconsin State Journal (WSJ) weighed in, asking, with hyperbole, "Have you no sense of decency, U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy?"

The newspaper opined: No Red Scare in Madison, Rep. Sean Duffy

...but the mayor also made some good points while delivering a clever zinger most of his constituents will love. The only thing communist about Madison, Soglin told the Associated Press, is that revenue generated here is redistributed to help economically struggling communities in Duffy’s 7th Congressional District in northern Wisconsin.

The editors went on:

Wisconsin has long struggled with an urban-rural divide...We all should be on the same side in Wisconsin when it comes to helping each other succeed across regions of the state. When southern Wisconsin does well, that’s good for northern Wisconsin, and vice versa...

And that is where the conversation goes from here. We need a deliberate discussion to make sure the closing of Wisconsin public schools come to an end, which will only happen when the failed economic policies of Duffy, Governor Scott Walker, and the Republican State Senate come to an end. From WISC-TV, Channel 3:

River Valley School District to close Lone Rock, Arena elementary schools

"I fear for the future of our local communities as they look toward the loss of local schools, creating falling property values, creating terrible busing situations for our youngest students, and having families with young students deciding not to move into our area,” a speaker at the meeting said Thursday night.

District officials said the closures will make up for about $950,000 worth of the $1.5 million deficit projected through the next two school years.

 

Madison Public Library Named Recipient of the 2016 National Medal for Museum and Library Service

I am delighted to congratulate the Madison Public Library for being named one of 10 recipients of the 2016 National Medal for Museum and Library Service! You may recall that the National Medal for Museum and Library Service is the nation’s highest honor, recognizing museums and libraries for exceptional service to their community and its needs. Through innovative efforts including Parents as First Teachers, Read Up!, Tell Us, and involvement in Madison’s Neighborhood Resource Teams, Madison Public Libraries have demonstrated a commitment to moving beyond the traditional library role into one focused on community engagement and participation.

To all those at the Madison Public Library, thank you for all that you have done and continue to do to make Madison a great place to live, work, learn and play! Keep up the good work!

ShredFest 2016

Mayor's Blog - Mayor Paul Soglin - Mayor's Office - City of Madison, Wisconsin

ShredFest 2016 is here in time for your spring cleaning! If you have documents at home containing personal or confidential information that you need to get rid of, be sure to come out to Access Information Management on Friday, April 22nd between 10 am and 3 pm or Saturday, April 23rd between 9 am and 12 pm. Access is again offering confidential shredding of up to 100 pounds, free of charge, at both their Eastside and Westside locations. Donations are accepted and will benefit Second Harvest Foodbank. Location details are below:

WESTSIDE

3700 Commerce Drive

EASTSIDE

2538 Daniels Street

Thank you to Access Information Management for another year of ShredFest!

 

Congratulations Madison Public Library!

I was pleased to hear that the Madison Public Library has been placed among the 30 finalists for the 2016 National Medal for Museum and Library Service! The National Medal, presented by the Institute of Museum and Library Service, recognizes institutions that have shown a commitment to innovative public service in their community.

For years the Madison Public Libraries have provided accessible facilities for learning, activities, children’s programming, and internet access. I could not be more proud of the work they have done thus far and will continue to do to serve our Madison community and am confident that they are deserving of this recognition. Congratulations on this achievement and thank you for all you do!

City of Madison Recruitment Ads

You may have noticed new ads on the sides of City of Madison Metro buses. The ads, or bus wraps, are the result of a combined effort between the City of Madison Human Resources Department and the Public Works agencies to recruit women and people of color for city employment! The bus wraps, which will run for four weeks, feature Streets Department employees Rachel and Felix.

Staff took it a step further, including two Parks employees, Charles and Juan, in the Metro Ride Guide, advertising seasonal Laborer opportunities.

The bus wraps and Ride Guide ads are a great demonstration of the City of Madison’s commitment to hiring a diverse, and representative work force to serve all residents.

City Bowling Tournament

It was nice to see so many City employees coming together for the City Bowling Tournament recently. Every year participating City of Madison agencies put together a bowling team that gets matched up with another agency. This year staff headed out to Bowlavard Lanes for the friendly competition.

Heidi Fischer, from the City of Madison Planning Division, took the fun a step further last year, organizing a food drive for Second Harvest in conjunction with the bowling tournament.  This year the tradition continued and I am proud to hear that City employees raised $1,093.67, which will provide for 3,281 meals, and collected 221 pounds of canned food items, which will provide for 184 meals! Thank you to Heidi & her team in Economic Development for their leadership and to all those who contributed. It is great to see such generosity from City of Madison staff.

 

 

 

Madison's Platinum Status as a Bicycle Friendly Community

I am delighted that the State Assembly passed an Assembly Joint Resolution congratulating the City of Madison on our recent achievement of Platinum status as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. We appreciate the recognition from our State Representatives! Special thanks to State Representative Lisa Subeck for all of her work. Without the hard work and collaboration between Madison B-Cycle, Trek, Madison's cyclers, and City of Madison officials, we could not have made it this far. Congratulations to all and keep up the good work!

From left: Representative Taylor; Arthur Ross, City of Madison Pedestrian-Bicycle Coordinator; Scott Langer, Assistant Traffic Engineer; Alder Clear, Representative Subeck; Representative Berceau; Representative Sargent; Representative Kahl

Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Skatepark Now Open!

The clouds and rain did not dampen the spirits of those who came out for the ribbon cutting for the new Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Skatepark at Central Park! I was happy to welcome the first round of skaters with Parks Superintendent, Eric Knepp, Patrick Hasburgh with the Madison Skatepark Fund, representatives of The Goodman Foundation, Willy Street Co-op, Madison Community Foundation, Great Dane Pub, Madison Parks Foundation, Dane County PARC, Marquette Neighborhood Association,  and many other donors and supporters to celebrate the project's completion.

The skatepark, located in Central Park at 202 S. Ingersoll St. is approximately 20,000 square feet and offers street skating obstacles and two bowls. The deepest bowl is designed to represent the empty swimming pools used by Southern California skaterboarders in the 70s. The second bowl ranges in depths of 4-7 feet and is considered a "flow" bowl for easier skater in and out transitions.
  
The skatepark is a wonderful addition to Central Park and many years in the making. Leaders of the Madison Skatepark Fund began fundraising 14 years ago and did not let this dream die.

Be sure to swing by Central Park and break in the new skatepark!

 

Top of State Partner Showcase

I hope many of you have had the opportunity to enjoy some of the recent events at the Top of State by Madison’s Central BID, the City of Madison, Madison Parks Foundation, and Isthmus.  These events have provided a welcoming environment downtown for young and old to enjoy and I am grateful for the huge effort extended to make them a success.

The festivities continue on Thursday, September 10^th at the MadCity Bazaar with the “Partner Showcase”!

The “Partner Showcase” will combine a resource fair with the pop-up market to commemorate the organizations that have participated in the “Top of State” events throughout the summer.  While shopping, visitors can hear about sustainability efforts in Madison; pick up membership information from the Wisconsin Bike Fed; learn about downtown museums and events; and even look for job opportunities with the Wisconsin Union, Madison School and Community Recreation (MSCR), and the City of Madison!

The event will run from noon to 6 pm at the “Top of State” where State Street meets the Capitol Square.

Find more details on the event at the link below and be sure to come out and help us celebrate the “Partner Showcase”!

http://www.visitdowntownmadison.com/events/events.php?category_id=5345#72052