City Cast Madison invited all qualified Madison Common Council candidates to complete a short questionnaire to help voters learn more about the people running to represent them in city government. All candidates were sent the same questions, and as you'll see, some questions are more policy-oriented and some are a little more fun!
The unedited responses for District 2 candidate Will Ochowicz are below.
Read the rest of the questionnaire responses here.
1. What is the single most pressing issue facing Madison?
City-wide the single most pressing issue is housing and the affordability crises. There's too much to say in a short response but people feel the crisis in many ways, most obviously by not being able to afford housing but also in rising homelessness, longer commutes, not being able to transition to homeownership, and not being able to age in their neighborhood.
2. What's the most important issue facing your district and how will you go about addressing it?
Besides housing, I think transportation and public safety are the top issues in my district. I plan on working with the transportation department on quick builds to reduce traffic speed and help people feel safer walking around their neighborhoods.
3. What sets you apart from your competitor or, if running uncontested, what would you like voters to know about you?
I have experience in local politics, and have worked as an organizer and advocate for several years. My knowledge of local issues and past work is the reason I have the endorsement of many current council members, the mayor, Fran Hong, Kelda Roys, Heidi Wegleitner, Progressive Dane, the Chamber of Commerce, AFSCME, and many others.
4. Did you support the $22 million property tax referendum? Why or why not?
Yes I supported the tax referendum. It puts the city in a much stronger position over the next few years. The alternative was to spend down the general fund in hopes that the state government would increase shared revenue, but "hope is not a strategy" and we needed a long-term solution.
5. What should Madison look for in its next police chief?
Somebody who will is committed to Madison for the long-term, and will build a diverse police force. I also think that we should look for someone who supports alternatives to police response, such as CARES
6. What's something the city currently isn't doing, but could do to help ease our housing crisis?
The city is doing a lot of the right things, but they probably aren't doing it at the scale we need. Greatly expanding housing options within TOD and increasing the amount of funding available for the affordable housing and land banking fundds are needed to get dedicated affordable housing built quickly.
7. What's something you wish more residents knew about Common Council/city government?
City government is about so much more than our votes at council! A lot of council work is responding to consitituent requests and helping with small city problems. So if you have a problem, reach out!
8. What's one thing you wish you could change about Madison?
I would change us not getting a train station in 2010. A huge missed opportunity.
9. What’s your favorite meal in Madison?
The Globe! It has a really nice variety of cuisines and they're all really good. And their 15 bean soup is unbeatable.
