I am endorsing Nik Kovac for 3rd District Alder.
I have gotten to know Nik this past year. I have seen him (and all the other candidates) in forums, I have seen him out doing doors, I have seen him in community meetings. That he and I were able to become friends during a competition speaks volumes to Nik’s ability to “play well with others.”
Nik Is a Leader
Nik Kovac has the leadership skills and the guts it takes to challenge an incumbent who negatively affects our community. He has run a clean campaign. He has not taken potshots—unsubstantiated or otherwise—at the other candidates. Nik got his votes because he did doors for 6 months, and then he did them again (and not because he had money pouring in from a political machine). He got votes because he met people, he cares about people and he educated himself on local issues. Nik got votes because he’s smart, progressive and trustworthy and people are talking about him.
Nik Is Local
In the last 7 months, I’ve seen Nik reach out to or get involved with local organizations that mean a lot to my community—the Milwaukee River Work Group, Riverwest Neighborhood Association, Milwaukee Food Policy Council, and the Milwaukee Urban Agriculture Network. He’s spoken up and gotten involved in expressing concern on Milwaukee’s racial and economic segregation, on Milwaukee’s political history, on the Historic Preservation Commission. He understands and has gotten involved in a zoning battle, attended to development concerns, goes to his block club meeting and got involved in the Safety Committee of RNA.
I have not seen Patrick Flaherty one time during this campaign at any organized meeting of neighbors that wasn’t specifically related to the campaign.
Nik Is Progressive
Nik is progressive, intelligent, and his journalist training allows him to see all sides of a story. Continue reading ‘Why I Am Endorsing Nik Kovac’
26 Feb 2008 | 10:19 am | 3rd District | No comments yet - Add your comments
Thank you! by Sura, February 20
Dear Friends, Neighbors and Community,
I am so honored to have the dedicated support of so many amazing, intelligent, creative and hopeful people.
We did not make it through the primary, but if we stay together, there is still so much for us to gain. There are many ways to get what we are looking for. I will post more about that in the upcoming days, along with my endorsement in the upcoming aldermanic race.
Again, thank you for your support, love and respect. I am so privileged to have gotten to know so many people. If you want to get involved in local community issues, I will continue to be engaged. Come with me.
Peace and local power,
Sura
20 Feb 2008 | 1:48 am | 3rd District | No comments yet - Add your comments
The Milwaukee River has become a huge issue in this race, and almost all the candidates talk about it.
Mandel Group has been floating the idea of more dorms, retail, and hotel space on the river at the Hometown site at North Ave.
The Milwaukee River Work Group (MRWG), is pushing for protections of the river’s banks, bluffs, water quality and viewshed.
If you want a basic overview of the work of the MRWG, check out my response below to the question in the Riverwest Currents on dealing with the Hometown Site owned by Mandel.
Public Trust, Zoning and Development
Cities need development to thrive—not just housing, but economic, organizational, environmental and cultural development in balance. Too much development in one area causes taxes to skyrocket. Too little foreordains blight. Cities and local governments must foster a deeper sense of “public trust” in order to be effective. Zoning, as a public asset, is part of that trust. If we want sustainable development, then we can’t allow ourselves to be held hostage to developers or to equate development merely with fast-buck condo/dorm/hotel building. In this vein, I support development that goes hand in hand with public trust. Continue reading ‘The Milwaukee River and upcoming development (more dorms?)’
17 Feb 2008 | 9:35 am | Water, Development, Environmental Sustainability, 3rd District | No comments yet - Add your comments
Biking in Amsterdam
Bike lifts in Norway
Biking in Copenhagen
3 Feb 2008 | 1:23 pm | Streets, Bicycles, Pedestrians | No comments yet - Add your comments
