3/26/2009 8:00:00 AM The Star endorses:
Mistele, Ehlke, Koschnick all get our endorsements
Randy Koschnick
Joe Chase
The Star announces the following endorsements for the upcoming April 7, 2009 election, including important races for Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice, Dane County Executive and Dane County Circuit Court Judge:
Wisconsin Supreme Court -- When thinking of the endorsements in this race, we like how Isthmus, Madison's weekly newspaper, characterized the race, although not with the same assertion: Incumbent Shirley Abrahamson is a better judge, but challenger and Jefferson County Judge Randy Koschnick is the better candidate.
Well put, except that we believe Koschnick will make a better judge than Abrahamson if given time to flourish on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. That's taking nothing away from Abrahamson, who had no judicial experience before being appointed to the bench more than forty years ago. She has been elected three times since and has risen to Chief Justice as the most senior jurist on the court. Over her last ten-year term she has departed sharply from the court's center on a number of critical decisions, however.
Challenger Koschnick has done the heavy lifting as a circuit court judge. He has had some rulings reversed, but he has a solid grasp of the case law. He has questioned many of Abrahamson's decisions and contributed to a genuine debate on which direction the Wisconsin Supreme Court should go.
If you are fed up with the increasingly whacky interpretations of the law on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, elect Koschnick on April 7.
Dane County Executive -- Until last year, many county residents believed that Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk was untouchable -- in the office until she either wanted to leave or found a third higher office that she wanted to run for besides governor and attorney general (lieutenant governor, anyone?). That is, until the utter mismanagement of the circumstances surrounding the Brittany Zimmermann 911 call and the resulting lawsuit, and at least two other subsequent incidents since then which have called into question the county's ability to effectively manage the 911 call center.
Combine that with Falk's desire to spend more than a million dollars on a manure digester, her joint announcement with Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz to see a commuter rail and regional transit authority in the county, and her seeming unwillingness to support a North Beltline and you have a candidate whose values and beliefs do not square with those of mainstream Dane County residents.
That's what makes Nancy Mistele a breath of fresh air in county politics. A businessperson who wants to see common sense decisions made in Dane County. Someone who wants to fully fund emergency radio purchases instead of buying a manure digester. And finally, someone who isn't afraid of taking on the political machine in Dane County because she's done it before.
For those reasons -- and so many more -- it's time to elect Nancy Mistele as our Dane County Executive on April 7.
Dane County Circuit Court Judge -- As we've said before, Stephen Ehlke has more experience in the courtroom than his challenger, Julie Genovese. As an attorney for more than 20 years, Ehlke has handled both criminal and civil cases with between 50 and 60 of those cases being tried before a jury. He's also been a state prosecutor, which means he's handled a wide variety of cases and is very familiar with the court system from all sides of it.
When asked how many of her cases have been tried before a jury, Genovese said, "Very few cases try. Most cases settle before they get to a jury. In the criminal context, less than 10 percent try, and in the civil context, 10 percent or less try, so you don't get that many cases that are actually tried to a jury."
With logic like that, it's a wonder a U.S. Senator (Russ Feingold in this case) gets involved in a local circuit court judge race. Perhaps more than judicial integrity (and more like political dogma) is at stake? Vote Ehlke on April 7.
DPI, Mayor, School Board endorsements Superintendent of Public Instruction -- Technology is here to stay, as is the reality that students are using that technology to learn. Part of that instruction is virtual schools -- which scares the living bejeebers out of the education establishment everywhere. Without the bureaucracy of the current system of instruction there is nothing to support those who depend upon it for their existence.
That's why Rose Fernandez's presence in this race is so refreshing. She has framed the debate about improving the delivery of public instruction into a battle of thinking outside the box versus maintaining the status quo.
In 2007 the Department of Public Instruction joined a lawsuit with WEAC against the Wisconsin Virtual School Academy. Tony Evers, Deputy Superintendent of DPI and the establishment candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, claimed the DPI had to because of its duty to enforce licensing requirements. The Wisconsin Virtual School Academy lost that battle in court.
The defeat energized Fernandez and her supporters into a campaign that - with support in the Milwaukee area - won a bipartisan legislative compromise that preserved virtual schools by increasing accountability.
It also propelled her into the race for Superintendent of Public Instruction and a face-off with Evers. We believe the choice is clear: Business as usual in our state's public schools, or electing someone with the proven drive to go beyond business as usual and improve how public instruction is delivered in Wisconsin. Elect Fernandez for a change April 7.
Sun Prairie Mayor -- While we believe Joe Chase will ultimately be reelected, he has had his foibles during the past two years -- from the bungled Deaf Child sign issue in April of 2007 to the failure to carry out a council directive to vote against a Regional Transit Authority to only recently on March 4 testifying in favor of a train stopping in downtown Sun Prairie -- despite a council resolution against it.
Chase's opponent, Hariah Hutkowski, talks about reducing spending -- right after urging more money be spent on law enforcement and public safety. How can one only cut everything except public safety if times are tough as he said in the March 13 debate?
While we think Chase could be exhibiting more leadership on issues important to the city and crossing the aisle to support issues he does not champion, he has been effective enough in attracting new tax base to the community during the past two years and getting one major office user -- WPPI -- to expand. With that kind of record, the mayor has been both lucky and smart enough to surround himself with the right people to do the job. Vote Joe Chase on April 7 to keep up the prosperity.
Sun Prairie School Board -- Three school board incumbents took the time to circulate nomination papers and get on the ballot in a timely fashion, and yet, John Welke insists that his write-in campaign be taken seriously. We take it seriously but wonder: If Welke's passion was so intense, why did he fail to file his papers like others to get on the ballot?
If this is an ideas campaign, then Welke's opponents have him beat and frankly, they've done nothing within the past year to warrant being cast off of the school board. Terry Shimek has demonstrated a willingness to investigate issues despite the thoughts of his fellow board members. Al Slane is far from the administration's board member and has worked hard in his first year on the board.
And John Whalen has demonstrated during his board tenure that he does his research and comes to his own conclusions.
However, Welke has demonstrated his ability to research issues and has actually presented situation reports to the board on various subject matters and we believe he also would be a competent board member.
Vote Shimek, Whalen and Slane -- but also congratulate Welke for conducting a commendable write-in campaign.
Please vote: Regardless of what you may think of these endorsements, please vote on April 7. It's your right and duty as an American citizen and should be conducted with pride.
