City hypocritical on ad revenues

Thursday's front page quote, "Three vacancies on the city's alcohol review panel could tip the balance toward teetotaling or freewheeling," captured my attention. Has anyone noticed the disgraceful-looking city buses with their Miller Genuine Draft and DeJope advertising?

Some time ago the city eliminated a subsidy to schools when they no longer allowed a company to sell their soft drinks in our public schools. It makes one wonder whether our city leaders think beer and gambling revenue is better than soft drink revenue.

-- Betsy Wilcox, Madison

Please join me in supporting Jill List for Monona Grove School Board. List is active in the community and makes positive contributions on many levels.

She is passionate about optimizing education for all students. She is informed, fair-minded, a great listener and solution oriented, the kind of person who will look out for what's in the best interest of the entire community.

As a mother of six, with four school-aged children, she has a deep personal interest in the success of our district. List has what it takes to be a strong member of the Monona Grove Board of Education.

-- Laura Toso, Cottage Grove

TIF will aid Cross Plains' revitalization

Village of Cross Plains residents should support the downtown tax incremental financing (TIF) district referendum question next Tuesday.

While the vote takes place on April 1, I'm not "fooling" to state this process has been well thought-out, stemming from citizen survey input, hearings, Planning Commission and Economic Development Committee meetings and public information gatherings.

A "yes" vote allows the board to develop and approve a plan for revitalization of our community, with additional input from citizens. This financial tool will foster rehabilitation and conservation activities within the downtown area, improve the Main Street corridor, spur economic growth, protect the Black Earth Creek and improve Zander Park.

You have said the village should encourage and enable the revitalization of our existing downtown while using our natural resources as assets. Our planning work and consultants' recommendations point to TIF as one of the tools we should employ.

Vote "yes" for the revitalization of your downtown and the improvement of your community. For more information, see the village of Cross Plains Web site at www.cross-plains.wi.us/

-- Steve Schunk, Cross Plains

Judges must stop being lawmakers

The State Journal has been calling for a merit system to select Supreme Court justices in an effort to replace the mud-slinging spending contests that these elections have become.

That's a good idea in itself, but it doesn't address the underlying problem, which is that the courts are making laws instead of just applying laws.

When judges make laws, we must ask what kind of laws will a prospective judge make. In a democracy, lawmakers must be accountable to the people. It's no longer just a matter of judicial competence. Hence, the selection process for judges inevitably becomes politicized.

We are seeing heavy involvement of both liberals and conservatives in judicial elections because the former want liberal laws and the latter want conservative laws. We have seen federal judge appointments become contentious for the same reason. The process has undermined the moral authority of the judiciary and threatens to destroy the independence of the judicial system.

This will not be solved by a merit system, although that would be quieter and less expensive. Instead we must insist that judges leave legislation to the representatives who are elected to make the laws.

-- Wayne Shockley, Brooklyn

Judging by TV ads, both candidates bad

I am confused, bemused and appalled by statements on television commercials about the failings of both state Supreme Court candidates.

If they're true, it is apparent neither candidate should be elected (as should have been the case with the most recently elected justice due to inappropriate involvement in cases involving her investments and her husband's interests).

I cannot understand what compensation the outside forces expect to reap from millions of dollars spent. Those big money sources must expect to make a profit, but from a Supreme Court justice?

-- Robert C. Sartori, Sun Prairie

Wasted funds could do so much good

I can't be the only one who is thoroughly disgusted by the obscene amount of money being wasted on TV advertising by the Butler and Gableman camps to drag each other through the mud, day after day. On a nightly basis we are bombarded with this drivel, sometimes with three or more commercials in a five-minute period.

Just think of the good that money could do for some really needy causes.

-- John Baumann, Madison

Cliches don't apply to Supreme Court race

The Wisconsin electorate should be offended by the special interest groups' ads for Judge Michael Gableman. Cliches such as "get tough on crime" and "put the criminals behind bars" would be more appropriate for a race for district attorney.

The Supreme Court interprets Wisconsin statutes. Murderers, sex offenders, thieves, arsonists and embezzlers are tried in county courts.

We're already saddled with Annette "gut-check" Ziegler. Don't let Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce buy another Supreme Court justice.

-- Donald L. Bolstad, Madison