Friday, March 21, 2008

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Endorses Christopher Larson

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Editorial Board is very forgiving and very trusting.

The Board believes that just because
Christopher Larson was busted for shoplifting that shouldn't be held against him by voters in Milwaukee County's 14th Supervisory District.

"Larson is better pick"

Christopher Larson made a grievous error when he was 19. He shoplifted, food apparently, and was caught. In exchange for taking a course, the judge dropped the ordinance violation.

Larson is asking voters in Milwaukee County's 14th Supervisory District, covering the south side, to take him at his word that the incident turned his life around.

We do. We recommend him for the seat to replace longtime county supervisor Richard Nyklewicz Jr.

The shoplifting occurred when Larson was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Now, he is a 27-year-old business manager for a string of sports stores. He's vying in this race against truck company owner Steven Kraeger.

The winner will be filling big shoes. As chairman of the board's Finance Committee, Nyklewicz was a sharp steward of public dollars while acting as a check against the no-tax-increase pledge of County Executive Scott Walker.

Simply, Larson is the candidate in this race to better fill that role. Kraeger also comes pretty close to pledging no new taxes. Taxes are his signature issue.

The problem: Balancing needs with dollars requires more nuance. Larson is not for higher taxes, but he is more likely in our estimation to take that balanced view.

Here's a guess:

If Steven Kraeger had a shoplifting incident in his past, such a "grievous error" would surely disqualify him to be a county supervisor.

The Journal Sentinel would be digging up every detail and covering the "error" from every possible angle, not dismissing it.

Why? Because Kraeger wants to hold the line on tax increases.

Larson, on the other hand, understands the "nuance" of picking people's pockets.

Excerpts from candidate questionnaires (read them in their entirety at www.jsonline.com/editorials):

Kraeger: "I support lower taxes even if a constant 0.0 tax increase is not always attainable. . . . I do pledge, if possible, to keep tax increases to a rate well below inflation."

Larson: "Taxes are synonymous with services. Saying you will cut or freeze taxes is the same as saying you will cut or freeze services."

So, a cut or freeze on taxes automatically means a cut or freeze on services.

It's not possible to revamp services to make them more efficient? It's not possible to cut the fat without cutting the quality of life in the county?

I don't agree with Larson's view. Apparently, I take a more nuanced approach than Larson and the Journal Sentinel Board do when it comes to finding solutions to manage the balance between taxes and services.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Chris Larson is the most qualified competent person for this job.

He has a degree in Business and Finance, he has been the head manager of a successful business chain.

The other guy is a total LOON JOB. Have you read his lit?

All the written material he has put out that has had egregious spelling and grammatical errors. Did he even go to college?

I want my county supervisor (or anyone who would represent my district for that matter) to be able to read and write at something above a 5th grade level.

Aside from that, have you ever seen him at the debate? Not only would he have NO IDEA what a budget is or what to do with one once it was presented to him. He doesn't even know what the job entails!

His promise of learning what exactly it is that the county supervisor role does, doesn't quite fly with me sir.

Sir I have met both candidates, and I will be voting for the one who will do the best job, regardless of your attacks! GOOD DAY SIR!

Anonymous said...

In the Early fall of 2005, Chris Larson held a kegger at his apartment on Locust St. as an after-party for the UWM College Dems kick-off meeting. He served about a dozen underage kids with all the beer they wanted.

Larson was also collecting unemployment benefits from the state while he was serving in a (paid) position in UWM Student Association.

He was, and continues to be, a crook.

Mary said...

Hey! "Anonymous 7:35 PM, March 22, 2008," are you talking to me?

I wrote the post and you wrote the first comment so you must be talking to me.

I'm not a "sir."

Kem, I have no way of verifying all that you've said, but Larson definitely was a crook. He was busted for shoplifting.

Kraeger is less likely to raise taxes. That should be enough reason to vote for him and reject the liberal Larson.

Anonymous said...

I read something in a book one time, I think it went something like this: "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

If man can not be forgiven for a past offense, if all of you are without sin then I will show you a LIAR!

Jesus was the ONLY perfect man.

I've met both the candidates face to face, and Larson will be getting my vote. He is going to fight for our parks and I surely want my children to have a place to go like I did.

I also meet with Steven and, while he seems like a nice enough person he had no clue what he would do! He only said he will become an "expert" in taxes and I have no idea what that is supposed to mean.

Thank you and let the power of Jesus Christ heal!

Mary said...

I hope Larson has found redemption. I hope he has become a better person.

That said, I think a vote for him is a vote for the government to pick more out of the pockets of taxpayers.

If you want to keep more of the money you earn, don't vote for Larson.