Sunday, January 31, 2010

Good Question

I’m getting ready to sit down and write my column for Tuesday.  It’s about the upcoming school board election in West Bend.  As part of my preparation, I have spent the week speaking with most of the candidates so that I can understand them. 

Yesterday I spoke with Lynn Corazzi - one of the current board members.  Today I spoke with Kathy Van Eerden - the other current member.  Perfectly delightful people, but both of them asked me the same question that made me back up and think a bit.  Lynn was perhaps the most succinct when he asked me, given my public opposition to him, if there was anything he could say to change my mind.  It’s an excellent question. 

I replied that I deal in a world of opinion and my opinion is my currency.  Actually, I said something to that affect, but I wish I could come up with stuff like that on the fly grin  I also stated that Lynn has a record on which to be judged.  I admitted that while he may be able to sway me with his arguments, I must still weigh those arguments with his actual record. 

Still, it’s a very fair question and one which I may have asked myself had I been in his shoes.  What can he expect from me given that I have already been vocal about my position?

The answer is that he can expect me to be honest about my opinion.  In Corazzi’s case, I think he’s a good guy.  He’s intelligent, articulate, thoughtful, and very approachable.  I certainly thank him for being willing to serve in a public capacity on our behalf.  It’s a lot of effort that should never be discounted.  He professes to be a fiscal conservative and I take him at his word.  But when the rubber hit the road and he had to cast a vote, he voted in a way in which I disagree.  As a voter and constituent, how am I to measure him? 

So to answer Corazzi’s question… probably nothing.  He could have promised the moon, but I can’t look past his previous performance.  I wouldn’t evaluate an employee based on words.  I’d evaluate them based on performance.  This is no different.  I put him in the category of Charlie Hillman.  Good guy who I like and with whom I agree on many issues, but disagree with his actions on the school board. 

For better or worse, Corazzi is running against folks who don’t have a record on the school board.  For them, I have to attempt to measure the veracity of their words, but they don’t have a record for me to judge. 

At the end of the day, I will tell you for who I am voting for because I consider that my obligation if I am going to wander the realm of opinion.  Take it for whatever you will.  It’s one guy’s opinion.  West Bend is blessed to have so many good people willing to serve on the school board.

(5) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1834 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

  1. but disagree with his actions on the school board

    Wow - really? Very single one?

    I wouldn’t evaluate an employee based on words.

    But you will evaluate the newbies based on their words?

    I have spent the week speaking with most of the candidates

    And that is a very good thing you do for our community. When we stop talking, we start shooting, and we just can’t afford that in these difficult days.

    Posted by Charlie Hillman on January 31, 2010 at 2001 hrs


  2. “actions” plural, not total. Come on…don’t be silly.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on February 01, 2010 at 1427 hrs


  3. Ah Wendy - I’m never silly. Maybe snarky.
    A reasonable man would take that phrase and assume that the writer was at least talking about a vast majority of actions if not all.
    So, I know Owen disagreed with the referendum. That’s one out of literally hundreds of votes. If he’s going to bring my name up, perhaps he should at least give another example so that we get into the plural category.
    Please note that I have no problem disagreeing with Owen.
    This is a good example. He is sounding like a black and white, litmus testing, single issue voter. By his simplistic reasoning, he could not vote for any of the seven school board members. Now that’s silly.
    And really, if his mind is made up and cannot be changed, why waste the candidate’s time? I will assume for the purposes of self-aggrandizement. You see, snarky it is.

    Posted by Charlie Hillman on February 01, 2010 at 1721 hrs


  4. Not all of Owen’s column readers have made up their minds. The Daily News doesn’t seem to give a crap about this race. If Owen wrote his column and DIDN’T talk to all the candidates, you would be griping about that.

    I don’t understand why you are being a dick about it.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on February 01, 2010 at 1825 hrs


  5. I’d like to see anyone (That’s anyone) who says the board needs a “creative” approach to the district’s budget problems be Q&Aed;.  They can start by creatively explaining how they would rearrange or modify the current 3-year budget cut plan with their creativity, cut or hold taxes, and address contract negotiations in arbitration.  Stating they need to do more research (but they are creative) avoids answering relatively straightforward questions.  I get nothing from that and distrust such answers.  I’ll take the devil I know over a potential turncoat.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on February 01, 2010 at 2217 hrs


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