This Just In ...

Some final thoughts on Franklin elections

Posted by Kevin Fischer on April 4, 2011

For this frustrated voter, the elections on April 5 boil down to this.

I am fed up with the overwhelming tax and spend mentality that permeates City Hall and the Franklin School Board that in turn leads to most of our elected officials constantly taking more and more money away from my family, our baby’s college fund, funds for family vacations, our retirement, etc.

I am tired of people in surrounding suburbs telling me they have more house and comparable services and schools, if not better, at far less the property tax.

Franklin is a predominantly fiscally conservative city. Sadly, less than a handful of our elected folks match that philosophy. The rest, in my view, need to replaced by individuals that share Franklin’s fiscal philosophy.

Here are my thoughts on the Franklin races on Tuesday.

FRANKLIN ALDERMAN, DISTRICT 3

I happen to like the incumbent, Kristen Wilhelm. She’s on my list of potential baby-sitters for Kyla. Her opponent, Bob Schick and I agreed during a recent conversation that she works hard and cares a great deal. I very much appreciate that she communicates with her constituents (like me) via e-mail. More of Franklin’s officials need to follow suit.

However, this is not a popularity contest. I know plenty of genuinely nice people. But I would never vote for them.

Kristen Wilhelm is a tax and spend, environmentalist liberal. She does not share the same fiscal conservative values as the majority of her district or the majority of the city.

She promised me before she was elected that she would hold the line on taxing and spending. In reality, she has done just the opposite, voting every time for city budgets that increased the property tax levy beyond the rate of inflation, and during  a recession when homes in her district are being foreclosed. They’re easy to find for someone like Kristen who likes to use the computer. It’s a simple concept called “Google.”

My property tax bill means far more to me than E-newsletters that have included job openings for liberal public radio.

Sorry, Kristen. You had your opportunity, and in my view, did not earn re-election because you were so disappointing, including in your promise to me about taxing and spending.

Kristen Wilhelm has the incumbent advantage over Bob Schick, a political newcomer. But after talking to Schick, I understand he embodies true Franklin values. I am more than willing to place my trust in Schick, as I did with Kristen years ago, only to be totally disappointed. I think I can count on two fingers the times Kristen actually followed through for me. It’s futile trying to work with her, and others in my neighborhood have said the same. Kristen fails to realize that there are plenty more voters like me in her district. She only wants to listen to those that agree with her. That doesn’t include me, apparently, and so I strongly endorse Bob Schick.

But Kevin, if Kristen wins, don’t you run the risk of alienating yourself with her in the future? Good question. But she’s rarely listened to me in the past. Why would she listen in the future?

Schick might be green, but in a city our size, I’m not sure that’s a major detriment. What he does have is my trust. The incumbent lost it a long time ago.

VOTE FOR BOB SCHICK TUESDAY TO HELP RESTORE FISCAL SANITY TO FRANKLIN!


FRANKLIN ALDERMAN, DISTRICT 4

My dear friend, former Wisconsin Lt. Governor Margaret Farrow once told me this that I have never forgotten. If you have an “R” after your name (Republican), talk like one, act like one, vote like one, govern like one.

The incumbent, the vagabond Steve Taylor who just can’t seem to find a zip code to become comfortable with, likes to pass himself off as a conservative. And yet, he has violated the Farrow doctrine big time.

This phony conservative, supposedly a Scott Walker disciple, has voted for city budgets that increased the property tax levy beyond the rate of inflation. Unlike Scott Walker, he never lifted a finger to attempt to reduce the property tax levy increase to 0 %. When a colleague tried several times last November to amend the budget to reduce the levy increase even further, Steve Taylor sat silent, refusing to even second the motion on behalf of hard-working families. Why? Because he has a huge personal dislike for the alderman who made the motions.

If you don’t like Franklin taxes, you are the subject of Taylor’s wrath in public. As he stated at a meeting last November, if you don’t like the taxes I impose on you, then just get the hell out of here. Interesting command from someone who’s lived here a few years as opposed to property taxpayers who have lived here and paid their fair share and then some 10, 20, 30 or more years.

Taylor’s other claim to fame is his push to require that dogs, horses, and other small animals always be on leashes. More government intervention. That’s more liberalism from a phony conservative.

He also was considering a city-wide smoking ban until liberal Jim Doyle who liked the same idea rammed it through the Legislature. The smoking ban issue torn Franklin apart in the 90’s, the most divisive public policy in our city’s history showing once again how out of touch Steve Taylor is.

Steve Taylor lacks the proper demeanor to handle the job. I have been informed by his constituents that if you dare disagree, he will call you at home to give you a hard time. If you’re not at home, he will belittle your spouse.

He is arrogant and condescending as opposed to his opponent, Pete Kosovich who has the appropriate even-keel approach and the appropriate fiscal conservative approach to stop the maddening taxing and spending that have driven too many to put up the FOR SALE signs that our aldermen ignore, laugh and snicker at when they pass their bloated budgets.

VOTE FOR PETE KOSOVICH TUESDAY APRIL 5


FRANKLIN SCHOOL BOARD

There are 3 candidates running for 2 school board seats.

David Works

Several weeks ago, I asked Works why he didn’t attend last year’s school board meeting, the most important of the year, that decided the school system budget for the following year.

Works refused to answer on the record, imploring me not to publish his response to that and other questions. Suffice to say that as a fiscal conservative, I was disturbed by his comments.

As recently as a few weeks ago, I requested that he be cautious in upcoming votes and not approve pay increases for school system employees.

On March 3, I told David Works:

“DON’T FORGET THE TAXPAYERS.”

Works responded the next day:

“You have it.”

According to Fred Keller’s blog, while Works voted against a contract increase for Superintendent Steve Patz, he voted for an average 2.3 percent increase for Administrators, and voted for an average 2.3 percent increase for various non-union staff.

Since becoming a school board member, Works has voted consistently for big tax and spending increases, going against what he has told me face to face.

Quite frankly, David Works is one of the most disappointing Franklin officials in recent memory. 


Linda Witkowski

She has been a bit more consistent as of late in holding the line on out of control school spending.

Newcomer Tim Nielson

He deserves a chance, with the caveat that if he wins, people will be watching him as they did David Works. I refuse to be fooled and insulted like I was by Works ever again.

If there are to be two winners Tuesday, they should be Nielson and Witkowski.


FRANKLIN MAYOR

The incumbent, Tom Taylor is a good friend. He and I have collaborated well on several important Franklin issues.The mayor has done many good things for Franklin.

He is running unopposed. Foolish and naïve Franklin bloggers without substantiation, as usual, posted silly items recently that Taylor would be the subject of a write-in campaign. He won’t be and will be mayor again.

If he had an opponent, it would have been very interesting because my good friend, and he is, had a rough last year.

In a weak attempt to defend Franklin’s out of whack taxing and spending, Mayor Taylor accused fiscal critics of badmouthing all that is good about the city when they did no such thing. Instead of engaging in thoughtful debate, he ordered his staff to prepare a bogus report about the city’s meaningless tax rate, as if that would somehow satisfy the masses paying their property tax bills in December.

The mayor also publically enabled his tax and spenders on the Common Council (Steve Taylor, Kristen Wilhelm, et al) to berate, laugh at and ridicule any hard working taxpayer that refused to kiss the tax and spenders’ rings.

You have to earn my vote (Gee, I’m just funny that way) and I will not be voting for Mayor Tom Taylor Tuesday, leaving that space on my ballot blank.

Mayor, please work harder in your next term to earn back my confidence.


VOTE FOR DAVID PROSSER, WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT


VOTE FOR JEFF STONE FOR MILW. COUNTY EXECUTIVE