Fiscal Note
Not applicable
Title
Communication dated November 3, 2004 from D. Kiesel, 229 Dunning St., Madison re: challenging the wording of the pool referendum on the 2004 Presidential election ballots.
Body
November 3, 2004
Councilwoman Judy Olson
Rm 417 City-County Building
210 Martin Luther King Blvd
Madison, WI 53703
Dear Ms Olson:
Although I have nothing against a city pool, I was absolutely floored at the wording of the issue on the recent ballot. Hence, I would like to officially challenge the wording presented on the ballots. The wording was very biased, and a voter not familiar with the ordinance referenced on the ballot or the pool issue easily could be swayed to vote positively for the referendum. Although I don't recall the exact wording on the ballot, I believe I'm recalling at least the essence of the wording described below.
The bias comes specifically in the following parts:
1) stating that by voting positively for this referendum, the city could then use a generous gift
a) $2 million dollars was specified
b) the donor (Goodman brothers) was specified
2) and other sources
a) "sources" here is vague, but the way it was added onto the previous information strongly implies that all other funding sources would also be gifts.
b) I've heard that tax dollars are now being considered for part of this swimming pool project, yet that information is not specified on the ballot. Perhaps use of taxes is not official yet, but the intent exists, and the wording on the ballot certainly opens the door.
3) So, with such specifics given in the last part of the ballot wording, it would have been more balanced to provide at least brief specifics about the city ordinance in the first part of the wording. For example, include a brief statement to the effect that the ordinance was created to protect our shorelines.
If you have any questions, please contact me. If there is another avenue for me to pursue in this matter, please feel free to let me know what that is. Thanks for your time and consideration in this matter.
Sincerely,
Diann S. Kiesel
229 Dunning St.
Madison, WI 53704
249-1054
To: Judy Olson
From: Diann Kiesel
Re: Pool Issue/Biased Wording on Ballot
Please add the following comment to my letter of Nov. 3, 2004:
On point #1) stating that by voting positively for this referendum, the city could then use the generous gift of $2 million . . .
-- This strongly suggests that if the referendum failed, the $2 million gift would be lost. That's not true, it would only limit pool sites to non-shoreline areas.
Thanks much!