Why I Am Endorsing Nik Kovac by Sura, February 26

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. Nik not only talks about development issues, he’s the only candidate that I have seen in meetings with neighbors about development. He’s been attending City Plan Commission and Zoning, Neighborhood and Development hearings for many months. He has been vocal and involved in his opposition to bad development and he has committed to pursuing environmentally, socially and economically sustainable development for our future.

Nik has also committed to doing something about local campaign finance reform, something we desperately need to ensure that aldermanic races can’t be bought by the highest bidder. It has been disheartening for many of us to find out how uninspired the political system in Milwaukee is, how contrived and greased with money. I am saying this to call attention to the “political machine” that exists, even in our local races. We need to work for clean elections through local campaign finance reform which would include a limit on spending not just on money raised. Look around. My guess is that big money will be behind every aldermanic race in Milwaukee. And it shouldn’t be. Votes should come because a candidate is participating in a broad range of community concerns, not just because they can afford to pour tens of thousands of dollars into a mail-blitz campaign.

Additionally, though this is with regret, there are reasons why I’m not supporting Patrick, that have to do with lack of transparency, big money and the issues. Because of my relationship with him, both as a friend and as a leader in the LGBT community, this is personally difficult and I have already taken flack for the endorsement I’m making here. But you all know me by now—I’m going to stand for what I believe is best for my community.

Oh, and one more thing—Nik’s campaign is fueled by the people, not by the usual political machine. We are the ones who will drive him.

I think he wants it that way.

Our Future
Ok, onward! Let’s continue working together. You’ve brought terrific energy to this campaign because you want to see change for the better. There is no reason for that to stop.

I’d like to get a couple of brainstorming groups going to deal with some of the big issues facing our community (the environment, clean elections, a progressive platform, etc.). If you want to get involved, please email and let me know.

Additionally, please consider getting involved in Nik’s campaign. There are many opportunities and less than 5 weeks left. You already have a good grasp of how a campaign runs. Nik’s campaign number is 477-4645 and his website is www.kovac08.com

Peace and local power,
Sura

26 Feb 2008 | 10:19 am | 3rd District

No comments

Add your comments