Developers dive into local politics
10:52 PM 2/24/03
Dean Mosiman City government reporter

A group of high-powered developers have joined to wield more influence in Madison and Dane County.

But the fledgling group and its money is raising concerns.

The group, Smart Growth Madison, will have a membership of 30 and raise about $120,000 in its first year for a full-time lobbyist and to engage in elections - including races for mayor and City Council. Dues would generate about $90,000 annually.

The group intends to lobby against mandatory inclusionary zoning, which would force developers to include low-cost housing in projects, and against forcing landlords to take federal Section 8 vouchers used by poor people for housing, a recruiting letter says.

"Our voices are underrepresented in the city," developer Gary Gorman said.

A $1,000 initiation fee and $3,000 annual dues are "peanuts" compared to the negative financial impact from legislation proposed by the liberal political party, Progressive Dane, the letter says.

The group wants to bring more sense to city practices and deliver more low-cost housing, members said.

The city should include neighborhoods in the approval process but protect against ever-changing resident demands, pursue voluntary inclusionary zoning, and expedite reviews, they said.

"The lack of predictability and volatility of the approval process makes it very difficult for good projects to get done," Gorman said.

The city must also consider the impact of a volatile process on employment in the development industry, he said. "These people want to have job security," he said.

The new group was borne amid talks on how to achieve inclusionary zoning and doesn't want to be confrontational, developer Jeff Rosenberg said. "Our group wants to work with people," he said.

The group's executive committee, which also includes developers David Simon, Curt Brink and Terrence Wall, have huge stakes in Madison.

"Those are some of the biggest players in real estate in the city," Planning Director Mark Olinger said. "They run the gamut from rental properties, owner-occupied housing, commercial and retail."

Some fear the influence of developer money, and a more divided City Council.

"I'm sure this will have a polarizing impact - but so have the actions of Progressive Dane," said Mayor Sue Bauman, who got money from Gorman during the recent primary. "Any time an organization is created in response to another organization it's problematic. I think it's dangerous."

Stephanie Rearick, co-chair of Progressive Dane, said, "It looks like a ploy to increase the power of money in politics and the kind of influence money has in policy-making. We're going to have to work that much harder."

And Megin Hicks, chair of the party's Housing Task Force and member of the Affordable Housing Action Alliance, added, "That's huge money. We've promoted affordable housing as an issue, and we have a budget of zero."

Mayoral candidate Dave Cieslewicz and Paul Soglin, who meet April 1, differed.

"It's an unfortunate use of the phrase smart growth to cover a pretty reactionary agenda," Cieslewicz said. "It's part of democracy, but .