Milwaukee aldermen are considering a plan that that would allow police to hand out tickets without actually witnessing any wrongdoing.
Aldermen Bob Donovan, Joe Dudzik and Robert Puente would allow police to write noise violation tickets without hearing a thing. According to an analysis of the proposal, "in the event a complaint is received that does not adequately identify the party causing the noise violation, a citation may nevertheless (be issued) when authorities obtain further evidence from investigation or other means that establishes the identity of the alleged violator."
The city attorney's office, however, takes a dubious view of the idea, since it also will require sworn statements from witnesses, who, when it comes to complaining about nasty behavior, might not be so forthcoming when faced with the idea of losing their anonymity.
That would leave the city holding the bag when it comes time to judge the guilty party.
"Regardless of whether an owner responds to the notice in the proposed draft, the city must still prove its case against the defendant, and thus must be able to prove that the defendant named in the citation in fact violated the noise ordinance," opines the city attorney's office.
Another recent idea by aldermen would allow police to issue truancy tickets without actually catching the truants.
Lacking Legwork: It's one thing to say you're a candidate and get on the soapbox now and then, but it's another to actually do some legwork to get on the ballot.
It takes 2,000 signatures to achieve ballot status in the Milwaukee County Executive race. Two of the four candidates who enjoyed being listed as challengers couldn't muster that. Computer consultant Joe Klein and former county retirement manager Jack Hohrein endorsed state Sen. Lena Taylor over current exec Scott Walker while admitting they didn't have enough of a campaign organization to even get on the ballot. That means there will be no primary in the race, leaving a serious lack of public debate on the post.
"Scott Walker has broken many promises," Klein said in his campaign surrender statement. "He broke his promise to hold the office to the highest ethical standards, he broke his promise to clean up the pension scandal, and he's broken his promise to step down after one term. Scott Walker has no vision for the important issues facing Milwaukee County, and his lack of vision for transportation has been a constant roadblock to transportation progress."
Hohrein wasn't as prolific in announcing his failure. He simply admitted to coming up 500 signatures short of 2,000.
Chasing Chaser's: The saga of Chaser's bar continues. After several hearings in front of Milwaukee's bar license lords, owner Frank Dobert's establishment remains in legal limbo.
After several drug busts featuring one of his bartenders as a prominent player, Dobert faced the wrath of Ald. Tony Zielinski, who wanted the bar closed permanently. But good legal help, in the form of attorney Andrew Arena, allowed Dobert to fend off revocation until his license came due this month.
The result is a 30-day suspension of Chaser's leaving a minute portion of Kinnickinnic Avenue without an alcohol outlet. But that didn't sit well with Ald. Willie Wade, a member of the city's Licenses Committee, who got to the black and white issue of the issue.
"If this exact same thing happened at a bar in my district there wouldn't be any talk of a 30-day suspension," said Wade, who represents a predominantly African-American area of the city. "This is a drug bar ... he don't deserve to have a bar license."
The full Council, which sent back a revocation recommendation to the Licenses Committee last fall, will rule on the recommendation Jan. 15.
Dynamic Duo Disbands: It was a strange idea to begin with. And the comedic duo from Concordia University has dropped the inane idea of running a joint campaign for Congress.
Democrat Jeff Walz and Republican Jim Burkee garnered some attention for claiming that they were running as one against Jim Sensenbrenner. It got them 15 minutes fame. Walz this week says he's severing himself from the Siamese campaign.
In a statement rivaling the best of non-statements, Walz says, "My health and family must remain the highest priority in my life, and the challenge of a campaign can take its toll on both. I also remain concerned for my school, and I realize the pressures on a small university when two of its professors run a campaign against an influential and powerful congressman. Ending my candidacy will relieve these pressures and allow the campus to return to some normalcy."
Burkee says he will continue his quest by challenging Sensenbrenner in the GOP primary, providing he gets on the ballot.
Much Ado About Nothing: One of the great non-events in the state Legislature's 2007 agenda was a special session called last month by Gov. Jim Doyle to deal with campaign finance reform. And while the term is constant fodder for those on the campaign trail, it rarely is addressed under the dome. And the December session was no different, resulting in ... nothing.
Perhaps it was tirades from Wisconsin Right to Life that had the pols backpedaling. WRTL called the proposals "The Politicians Protection Act" and "The Welfare for Politicians Act."
According to WRTL, "The Welfare for Politicians Act," was a bill that would allow for public financing of state Supreme Court campaigns, which would effectively limit WRTL's anti-abortion influence on any campaign for the bench.
"The Politicians Protection Act" would have prevented independent groups from attacking campaigns for 60 days prior to the election.
"They want to make it so burdensome on average citizens and citizen organizations to carry out these activities that many will no longer bother," laments WRTL chief Susan Armacost in a statement on special interest campaigning. "Wisconsin Right to Life will once again be vigorously opposing these ridiculous measures that are being promoted by self-serving politicians at the expense of Wisconsin citizens."
An avid outdoors person he regularly takes extended paddling trips in the wilderness, preferring the hinterlands of northern Canada and Alaska. After a bet with a bunch of sailors, he paddled across Lake Michigan in a canoe.
He lives in Bay View.
