The following is a guest post from my husband, Steve, who is running for alder of district 10. As a private citizen, he's already an amazing advocate for the Madison Police Department, and if he becomes alder, will be a strong, unwavering voice. Here's his story . . . People ask, why are you running for alder, Steve? I'm a State employee living on a fixed income. I haven't had a raise in years. Yet at the same time my property taxes have been rising faster than a race car at the Daytona 500! I watch city leaders squander $400,000 on demoralizing studies of our underappreciated police, while ignoring a ballooning $44 million dollar debt! My alder and city council ignores problems like fixing the emergency detention problem costing taxpayers $600,000-plus per decade, he votes to allow scammers to endanger safety on our streets and with council ignores problems that further endanger public safety by allowing hundreds of our police to be pulled off our streets annually and send them to Oshkosh on detentions! We need an alder that is more responsive to his community, who fights to keep our taxes low and our neighborhoods safe! We need, and frankly we demand, a better choice! I believe I am that better choice. I will focus on solving real problems like the heroin drug abuse problem and the gun violence gripping our city. I will focus on finding new ways to create more good paying jobs. And yes, I will work with others in search of solutions to the costly emergency detention problem. I will stop ignoring and start fixing problems. I will be the alder that listens and responds to your concerns, not ignores them. There is currently a shortage of police on our streets. If anything, we need to hire many more. We cannot afford to send hundreds of Madison's finest annually to escort mentally ill patients to Oshkosh many times entire shifts. That's less police on our streets to respond to your calls for help, save lives, and prevent crimes. That's additional wear and tear on our police vehicles, longer wait times for officers to respond to all calls and endangers the safety of every resident and police officer. That's unacceptable and also especially hard on each patient escorted in the back of an uncomfortable police car hundreds of miles from home. Another important reason I'm running is to show strong and unwavering support to our police. I will be the alder that stands side by side with our police in good times and bad. I will lead the council in this effort. We must always show strong public support and trust with our good police officers. It is only through this display of public trust we can all come together, work together and build safer communities. Like Chief Koval says at every forum since taking office, he can no longer do this job alone. He needs all of us to help, and especially needs our city leadership's support. I believe together we can and under my proven leadership we will. You deserve to be heard! Do you have a question, problem or concern? Don't you agree that your alder should help and should listen to your concerns? After a person was hit and killed by a car on my street last year, I emailed my alder seeking help in doing a traffic study at the same intersection to see what we could do to make my street safer for other pedestrians. When he didn't respond, I began working with the city traffic engineering folks myself. When elected representatives ignore their voters concerns and emails, when they waste voter's tax dollars, when they fail to fix problems that cost more money and make communities less safe, and when they lack showing public support for their police, I say enough is enough! It's time to demand a better choice! I picked up the clip board and am running against him to serve you better. They say lead, follow or get out of the way. I say get out of the way incumbent alder! You have had your four years of ballooning deficits. It's time for real positive change. It's time for better leadership and better ideas! But please know, I'm not a career politician or a sales person. I'm someone like you, who just got fed up with the status quo. I'm running to change things for the better. What I'm noticing is I'm not receiving the fancy endorsements the incumbent is getting. Powerful, more-connected politicians with the inside track appear to many the safer bet and no one wants to be wrong. But know this; I am the real game changer, the new guy on the block, bringing fresh ideas, new energy and strong ambition to change things for the better. To win this election on April 4th, for all of us, I desperately need your support and vote. It's our future. You have a choice this election because of me. Please join me in the voting booth April 4th by demanding a change for the better and not accepting the status quo. Thank you. Steve Fitzsimmons Please vote for me on April 4th! Steve supports the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial fund and currently displays the license plate on his car. He is working with Rep. Steffen to raise money for the fund by raising $25/annual donation to the memorial fund for plate holders. Steve supports Blue Lives Matter.