We ask all Madison mayoral candidates to help make Truax Air Force Base a better neighbor, because base operations damage physical and mental health due to ear-splitting noise, pollute air and water, reduce property values, and generally make much of Madison, especially the north and east sides, an unpleasant place to live.

In particular, we ask you to write to the Air Force to 1) ask for an end to production of the F-35, since the extraordinary expense takes money away from programs that could help Madison and Wisconsin, 2) ask for a non-flying mission at Truax, and 3) express your opposition to stationing F-35s in Madison.

According to the Air National Guard, non-flying missions include "air traffic control units, combat communications squadrons, civil engineering and communication flights and squadrons. Support units also include weather flights, aircraft control and warning squadrons, a range control squadron and an electronic security unit."

A high-tech non-flying mission could take advantage of and add to the growth of Madison's technology and computer industries.

Learn more about the problems with F-35s at https://www.facebook.com/nof35sinMadison