Wisconsin: Madison to consider public financing of council elections
The Capital Times reports: Agreeing to let a committee with expertise in election finance reform draft a city election public financing ordinance for the Madison City Council to consider in September proved painful Tuesday night.
As Ald. Brenda Konkel, who supported the proposal to work toward publicly financed local elections, said during the emotional hour and a half debate: "There is a lot of anger in the room." ...
The successful resolution requires the mayor to appoint, with the approval of the council, seven citizens with a demonstrated interest and expertise in election financing. The committee will have six months to come up with recommendations on public financing of election campaigns for City Council, mayor and municipal judges. Then, the council will have to decide if it wants to implement the recommendations or even a modified version of them. Union Corners, etc.: In other business, the council voted 17-1, with Konkel dissenting, to grant a $4.9 million tax increment financing loan for Union Corners, a mixed-use development on 15 acres bounded by East Washington Avenue, Winnebago and Milwaukee streets. -- The Capital Times