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Here's Your Chance to Grill Waukesha Aldermanic Candidates

Patch is sponsoring a candidates forum on Wednesday night for the candidates running for Waukesha Common Council...and we're going to ask the questions that our readers want answered.

 

Candidates running for Waukesha alderman in the April 2 election will field questions about the key issues facing the city in a forum slated for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Carroll University.

At least nine candidates running in contested Common Council races have agreed to participate in the forum, which is sponsored by Waukesha Patch and will take place in the Dorothy Goff Frisch Recital Hall of the Shattuck Music Center, 218 N. East Ave. It is free and open to the public.

We would like Waukesha Patch readers to help us come up with questions for the canidates. If you have a question that you would like the moderator to ask, post it as a comment to this story. We'll try to ask as many of the submitted questions as possible.

In addition, audience members will have the opportunity to submit written questions to a moderator. Questions should be on citywide vs. district-specific issues, and all candidates will be asked to respond to the same questions.

Candidates who have said they will take part in the forum are: 

  • Mark Myers (1st District)
  • Ald. Adam Jankowski and Marga Krumins (6th District)
  • Ald. Vance Skinner and Sean Grosenick (8th District)
  • Aaron Perry and Gary Krivos (12th District)
  • Ald. Roger Patton and Lenny Miller (11th District)

Ald. Terry Theime of the 1st District, and 15th District candidates Russel Stewart and Cory Payne are unable to attend because of work commitments. Emanuele Vitale, running in the 8th District, has not indicated whether he will attend.

The general election is April 2. Aldermen serve three-year terms.

What questions would you like the aldermanic candidates to answer? Tell us in the Comments section below.

Related Topics: Candidates Forum, Election 2013, and Waukesha Common Council Election

N Schmidt

9:30 am on Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Roger Patton was implicated by the mayor and Lynn Gaffey in the keying of the former BID Director's car. What, specifically, was the alderman's role in this action?

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Mr Lundt

9:49 am on Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Not sure schmidt--what was yours?

Now that you are implicated please prove your innocence.

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N Schmidt

10:58 am on Tuesday, March 19, 2013

I would, if Lynn and the mayor had thrown me under the bus. But they named Roger, not me.

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Ron Kading

3:17 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013

This question is specifically for the candidates in district 12. The aldermanic position is supposed to be non-partisan. Why is one of the candidates using his views on the Walker situation as a issue? This city is already divided and I feel that those comments do nothing but further divide us and are totally out of line. Are you, as elected officials supposed to represent the views of the people that elected you, regardless of your personal political views?

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JMS

4:06 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Easy. If you didn't want your position to be public record, you shouldn't have signed. But public record is public record, so why not inform the electorate of the differences between the candidates? Especially when one, to date, has said and done nothing to inform the District of his views? The only thing I know about Mr. Krivos is that he signed the Walker Recall Petition. He has not done anything else to educate the District about where he stands, or what his views/thoughts/opinions are.

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Aaron Perry

5:00 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Although not the perfect forum to address this, I will anyway since I'm sure this won't come up tomorrow night. Ron you are correct, the position is non-partisan. JMS is also correct in that Mr. Krivos publically showed his support for the recall of Gov. Walker and that is the only difference any of us know as fact since Mr. Krivos has not been campaigning like myself. Noting the recall in my letter was not partisan but a way to note a difference in how an elected official would approach balancing a budget. I agree with not raising taxes or laying off workers as Gov. Walker did to make ends meet in government. This is a difference in myself and Mr. Krivos, it is my duty to point that out.

I appreciate that one everyone will agree with me but I'm confident that most will. I'm more than happy to have a private discussion on these items in the future if you so choose.

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the 'sha guy

9:25 am on Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Krivos signed the recall petition. This is a good indication of how he will govern and his political philosophies. Furthermore, you would think that someone who owns a restaurant in the city (Key Westconsin) would be smarter than that and not try to alienate 50% of his customer base.

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Community Lady

2:15 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013

People can sign petitions if they want to. This is America in the 21st century, where we have a right to express our political views. Rather than try to witch hunt signers (shame on you) why not see why people felt so strongly to sign and build bridges? Good for anyone that stands up for what they feel is right. Shame on anyone who condemns them simply for having a different stance. That is not the American way.

And, by the way, if Walker does run for governer AND national office like Palin, who will pay for the second governor election? We will. That would make 3 elections for one man for one term. Just a thought...for those against the recall for tax reasons.

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Michael Walsh

3:11 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013

What are the candidates feelings on the need for moving a fully operational fire station from Sentry Dr. to the corner of 59 and Oakdale? Are they aware of how many homes are outside of the perfect time response window and does this number justify the cost?

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Aaron Perry

2:07 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013

My feeling on moving Station #3 to the Oakdale location is in strong favor to do so. Geographically it makes sense and when I have spoken to firefighters they agree with me. They have told me that "most" of our 5 neighborhood district does not meet the 7 minute response time. Considering the amount of homes that is and that the area continues to grow I do believe the investment is worthy. I am going to research what if any savings in home owners insurance this could provide for residents.

Michael Walsh

3:18 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Do the candidates believe Act 10 was a positive step forward in cost reduction for the city or just a way to stifle the income growth of hard working public employees?

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Aaron Perry

2:13 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013

Great question, obviously a hot topic. Anytime there is drastic change that affects a group of people's income there is going to be backlash, I understand that. The non-partisan bottom line is that a 3.6 billion dollar hole is unacceptable. Raising taxes again or laying off public workers to fill that gap is also unacceptable in my view. Cities should embrace the ability to manage funds on a closer level to be more effective and save money. Both of my in-laws are public school teachers and so is my cousin so I certainly understand both sides of this issue.

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Mark Maley

5:08 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Thanks, everyone for your questions...I will definitely ask some of these at tonight's forum! Hope to see you there, but if you can't make it, we're going to have a live, real-time blog on Waukesha Patch.

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Steve Edlund

5:45 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013

One more Mark.

Waukesha's application for a Lake Michigan Diversion exception is the first ever and precedent setting. A requirement of application is to demonstrate water conservation plans present and future. While the demand continues to drop (which is a positive direction), the Waukesha Common Council continues to approve more and more apartment complexes - in spite of a housing mix recommendation the Council passed less than 10 years ago. More apartments equates to an increased demand and less conservation.
Questions:
1. Do you support the application for Lake Michigan water.

2. How do you think the trend of continued apartment housing construction will be view by the other 7 states reviewing the application?

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Nancy Singer

6:24 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Mark, coiuld you ask Roger Patton and Mr. Miller if they realize they have more than the downtown as part of their district and what their plans are for the rest of the district. Their district does go up Main St to railroad tracks and Whiterock Ave. to railroad tracks and even part of N. West Ave. Main n Whiterock are main arteries into downtown and their appearance is abysmal. The crime rate along these streets is terrible and some of the buildings are allowed to deterioate and collect garbage, cars and plain junk in their yards. It's not only an eyesore but also against building code laws. I have never seen Roger Patton in this area at all. Lets start supporting improvements in the rest of this area, not just downtown.

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Lenny Miller

9:07 am on Friday, March 22, 2013

Nancy,

I am sorry Mark was not able to address your question. I believe all of the questions came from the audience at the forum. I do understand your comment about all of us spending a lot of time discussing the downtown area. This had more to do with the questions that were being asked and only having one minute to answer them. I agree not enough time was spent discussing our neighborhood and the concerns about them. If you were to see the current alderman driving around town, the sign on his car pretty much tells were his priorities lay. Also, take a look at his current add in the newspaper.

Having said that, please take a look at my website www.millerforalderman.com and you will see one of my goals is to spend more time addressing the needs of our neighborhood not just the downtown. I agree our district goes well beyond the downtown area. I will promise you this, I will listen to you and I will do everything I can to address your concerns with the appropriate departments, not just make “Referrals”. I am a results oriented person and I will achieve results.

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