Sunday, February 16, 2014

Franklin's Mayoral Soap Opera

There are times when you see something in the news that just makes you so glad that you don't live in a certain community due to shenanigans and headaches the residents of said community has to endure.

One of those communities that I often have that feeling towards is Franklin, Wisconsin.

Franklin is just a hot mess of a community, especially when it comes to their government.  Apparently, not one economic decision is made on any other consideration than how it would benefit the land developers.  The impact on the taxpayers and the community is of little import.

Some of the lowlights from this community includes the push to take away the farm and fish hatchery from the Hunger Task Force because it was sitting on  "prime real estate" that land developers could profiteer off of.  Because doesn't everyone dream of a home across the street from a correctional facility?

Another example of how messed up this place is is the controversy about the city government selling out its residents to MMSD for a system they neither need or want.  But there was money to be had for a select few and so it got pushed through.

Franklin's mayor is stepping down and there is a primary this Tuesday for that race.  And, as is fitting for such a messed up area, the politics are getting down and dirty.

Recently, Dan Bice, political gossip sensationalist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, reported that one of checkered personal past.  The gist of the story is that Taylor did not take a break up with an ex-girlfriend well and ended up getting in trouble with the law for violating restraining orders and trying to get others to help cover up his crime.
the candidates Steve Taylor, has a

Of course, Bice isn't revealing his source for this information and all the other players are playing dumb (although how much of that is playing is debatable).  Taylor is blaming one of his fellow Franklin alderman, Steve Olson, who is the official corporate sponsored candidate in the race.  The local teahadist bloggers and and sockpuppets, like Orville Seymour of the grossly-misnamed Citizens for Responsible Government has thrown in with Olson.  That alone should be enough to scare away the sane voter.

The third candidate is Basil Ryan who has his own questionable past, including getting recalled from his alderman's seat about ten years ago.

It would seem that the carpetbagger Taylor, with all of his own personal foibles and lack of interpersonal skills, is still the city's best choice for mayor.  Now that's what I call really screwed up.

But then again, what do you expect from a community that was one of the biggest sources of outrage over Tom Ament's pension scandal from twelve years ago, but then elects Tom Taylor, one of the authors of the pension bill, to be their mayor?

4 comments:

  1. Franklin should be traded to Waukesha County for cash considerations. They're really no different with their pro-sprawl, TeaBag voting patterns.

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  2. So the fact that Steve Taylor spoke at a Tea Party rally makes him what?

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  3. ignorant to how America and our Government works.

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  4. Actually, this was the situation with Basil Ryan's recall. "After winning his second term 10 years ago, a group of people outside of his aldermanic district threatened to recall Basil Ryan because they lost a major election against him. Basil Ryan went through a vicious recall. The group that recalled him was prosecuted by the State of Wisconsin through the Milwaukee District Attorney's office. The Milwaukee County Circuit Court severely penalized the recall group. Because of their vicious lies and illegal activities against Basil, the group was ordered by the court to pay a hefty fine, be dissolved and disbanded. The court also warned the group that if any future activity were to occur again, the court would go after individuals personally. This warning was reiterated by the Milwaukee District Attorney's office."

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