Fomr an article by Samantha Marcus in the La Crosse Tribune:
The campaign to be La Crosse’s chief executive hasn’t strayed much so far from talking about the familiar troubles — property taxes, jobs and economic development.
La Crosse voters will go to the polls Feb. 17 to pare the city’s mayoral hopefuls from seven to two. Last week, the Tribune invited a dozen community members to a roundtable on what they wanted to hear from the candidates before primary day. . . .
This week the La Crosse Common Council will cast a vote on an aggressive and contentious city/county strategic plan for sustainability.
Lenard helped draft and introduce the plan, which she and Johnsrud called a significant investment in La Crosse’s future.
“It’s going to take some money, and some people are going to be reluctant to spend any money,” Johnsrud said.
Padesky, Richmond and council member Jim Bloedorn said they’re not willing to hire a full-time employee to tell the city to change its light bulbs and turn the heat down.
Some council members will support the plan because it’s “en vogue, but I care too much to foist another artificial bureaucracy on the city of La Crosse,” Bloedorn said.
Harter, Richmond and Lesky said they’d support sustainable practices so long as they’re economically justified.