This Just In ...

Does Franklin (ZZZZ) need (ZZZZ) a full-time (ZZZZ) mayor? (ZZZZ)

Posted by Kevin Fischer on Sept. 15, 2010

Online polls are clearly unscientific. They are but another light on someone’s Internet Christmas tree.

However, they are not to be totally discounted since they provide some degree of interest. In one instance, I believe an online poll is quite revealing.

You will note that FranklinNOW has just put up a new poll question about the Governor’s race in Wisconsin. My guess is there will be more than a few responses. As I write, over 200 readers have already chimed in.

Here are the previous polls on FranklinNOW followed by thee number of readers that were motivated enough to respond:


Should the county open an aquatics center in Franklin? 278

Is it time for a full-time mayor in Franklin? 230

Would you buy a car from a bankrupt U.S. automaker? 1091

Would you support increasing the beer tax? 2388

Do you support roundabouts on 27th Street? 4801

What should city do about 51st St.? 1033

And then there’s the poll that was just replaced by the gubernatorial question. It's the very sexy and exciting question....

Does Franklin need a full-time mayor? 182

Note there have been not one, but two questions posted about a full-time Franklin mayor on FranklinNOW. Readers have had two kicks at the cat on this same issue, and yet each time it appears the inquiry comes off about as interesting as watching paint dry.

If people seem disinterested in this question it’s because they don’t consider this item a top priority or even mildly controversial. The chief proponent who’s all hot to trot about it, Steve (I wish Franklin could be more like La Crosse) Taylor has demonstrated time after time how out of touch he is, not only with his district, but the entire city. The problem is, he somehow convinced other aldermen to go along, and now we have an inconsequential referendum on our November ballot. That’s an indication that Taylor is not alone on the Common Council in his failure to have a grasp on what’s really important.

He says he has some profound “vision” for the city that he’s going to share with us pedestrians. When will we, the lowly Franklinites, have the privilege to hear his sage wisdom? December? January? February?

As a member of the Finance Committee, I challenge his Taylor-ness to share with us, the great unwashed, his “vision’ for the next budget and how he is specifically going to provide much-needed property tax relief to the over-taxed populace of Franklin (I’ve already asked my alderman, Kristen Wilhelm who scoffed at the notion of a property tax freeze. Like Taylor, she, too, is on the Finance Committee. But all I expect from her is rubber stamping whatever tax increase the Finance Committee comes up with. And I fell for her promise to me during the campaign that she’d do everything she could for the taxpayers).

Back to Taylor. It’s mid-September, Steve. You’ve got a blog, albeit you use it once every Haley’s Comet. Tell us what you specifically have in mind to provide real, honest to goodness property tax relief for Franklin. Or did you accept your post on the Finance Committee to be like Alderman Wilhelm and just be a yes person.

A final word on the polls on a full-time Franklin mayor. Again, they’re unscientific. Absolutely true. But they seem to indicate that they haven’t tripped anybody’s trigger. Except Steve (Oh I just can’t wait to be mayor) Taylor.

Finally, how long will it take before Alderman Taylor responds on his blog that's gathering dust on FranklinNOW and blasts me?

He will need to actually read my blog and think about it. That will take some time.

Then he'll have to get over his anger.

Then he'll have to simmer down and think about how to respond.

Then he'll have to seek out advice about how to respond.

Then he'll have to sit down and actually write a response.

Good Lord, this really could take awhile. Let's see. It's Wednesday night. I suspect we should hear from the alderman by Saturday. The over/under is 60 hours.

Of course, he won't address any of the issues I've raised, will throw his usual hissy fit, and then get ripped in the comments section,

Finally, the phrase that’s all the rage around the country is: November is coming. Alderman Taylor, I would submit, in your case, April is coming.