Vote Moga

Stories on the District 5 Race

Clean Campaign Signers Should Be Rewarded- The Capital Times  4/02/05

Alders Ronn Ferrell and Gregory Markle sent a Clean Campaign Pledge to all candidates for a voluntary signing.

Robbie Webber's anti-business quote- Madison Common Council Meeting  3/29/05 4:27:13 - 4:27:47

At our debate sponsored by the Regent Neighborhood Association today, I used a direct quote from Robbie Webber pertaining to the anti-business sentiment that the Council portrays.  She claimed 1) to be quoted out of context and 2) that I was attacking her.  Well 1) if you click on the blue link you can see the quote for yourself and decide if it is anti-business and 2) if minutes from a Common Council meeting aren't fair game in politics I don't know what is.

Robbie goes off on a tangent and takes the time to say business owners see no division between their business entities and themselves as individuals "although sometime during tax season I have a feeling you can tell the difference."  The business people attending expressed dissatisfaction via body language but you can watch it for yourself by clicking the link above and then going to View Madison Common Council: Meeting of March 29, 2005. She begins talking at 4:27:13 and you only have to watch 34 seconds to hear the quote and understand the context.

District 5: Webber vs. Moga- The Daily Cardinal  4/01/05

Chris Fleissner gives a student perspective on the race.  I'm not quite sure how Webber claims to represent the Lakeshore Dorms and Eagle Heights.

Webber, Moga Say They're More Responsive- The Capital Times  3/31/05

Steven Elbow reports on the race.  Robbie boasts of attending almost every RNA meeting for two years but I haven't seen her at the last two.

5th District: Moga- The Wisconsing State Journal  3/28/05

The Wisconsin State Journal has endorsed me.  Between the WSJ and the Affordable Housing Action Alliance, it shows my grasp on the issues and passion for the campaign.  I can't say that I would have opposed the minimum wage hike and it's great to see that Madison's actions are driving state-wide policy.

Decision 2005 Candidates and Issues

NBC has taken the time and effort to give all City Council candidates a 2.5 minute spot so take this opportunity to get to know your candidates.  I definitely suggest you check this out, it is definitely a valuable resource that will definitely help you make a decision.  Yeah, there's a bit of touching up I can do but give me a break, this is my first campaign after all.

League of Women Voters interview

Watch Robbie and I square off on the issues.  You can download Realplayer at the website if you don't have it and click on the Madison Common Council, District 5 link to watch the interview.

Halloween's uncertain future- The Badger Herald  3/16/05

Mark Baumgarder expresses student concerns about the Halloween celebration and what possible restrictions are being proposed.

District 5: Council race a battle between left and further left- The Wisconsin State Journal  3/14/05

George Hesselberg reports on the race.  It is well-written, the only thing a bit off is that I was not convinced to run by Marsh, Tom, and Larry.  However, they are supporters of mine and have definitely been a great help.

DMI endorses City Council candidates- The Badger Herald  3/14/05

Darryl Schnell comments on the Downtown Madison Inc. endorsements.  I believe DMI's endorsement shows just how serious my candidacy is, the research I've done, and my ability to communicate with both business and the community.

Downtown Boosters Get Political- The Capital Times  3/9/05

Judy Davidoff reports on the DMI endorsements as well.

Garden Variety Political Oddity- The Badger Herald  2/15/05

Casey Hoff declares his opinion about how a couple of candidates are shaping their races.

Get Kids in Action

    Crestwood is the elementary that the Badger Athletes are going to visit.  Kindergarten through 5th grade will have lunch recess with the athletes.  Both parents and the children will be educated about the new Get Kids in Action program started at UNC.  I had hoped to get Randall elementary as the test case but the schedule was too stringent to warrant a Badger visit.   
    Although it is only one school for now, the vision is to promote the program city wide in the future.  I think it is important to do this before summer to help counter the lure of television over summer break.  In addition, testing the program out in one location will give us feedback on how to proceed in the future.

Olive Jones Playground Fundraiser!

    The fundraiser for the Olive Jones Playground went smoothly and thanks to all who participated.  The UW Drumline was quite a hit on the streets and they did a great job.  Special thanks to the Blue Moon, Capital Brewery, and NBC 15 for showing up.  I believe the fundraiser did an excellent job of making the renovation of Olive Jones a more visible project.   

Who's backing candidate Moga?

Wisconsin State Journal

Affordable Housing Action Alliance

Downtown Madison Inc.

Marsh Shapiro: Owner of the Nitty Gritty
Larry and Tom Schmock: Owners of the Blue Moon, Blue Velvet, Smoky's, The State Bar & Grill
Professor David Beebe: Professor BME, Advisor, Employer
Kelli Richards: CHAMPS/ Life Skills Coordinator for UW Athletic Department
Jeff Erlanger: Commissioned on People w/ Disabilities, Economic Development, Joint SE Campus
Mike Wittenwyler: Attorney for Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.
Laurie Ingwell: Meriter Hospital, Volunteer Staff Coordinator
Nick and Natalie Schimick
Beth Curley
Tim Wadlington
Regina Millner
Frederic Mohs
George Kamperschroer
Karen Lavalley
Diane Kunz

Note:  I am not endorsed by any political party and have only pursued the Democratic endorsement.  However, the Committee was disappointed that I went to France instead of attending their scheduled interview.  In my defense, my non-refundable plane ticket was already purchased and I had planned the trip well before I decided to run for Alder.  In the end, it all worked out as the deeper I get into local politics, the more I'm convinced that there is a good reason that such positions are non-partisan.

Biography

Candidate  Moga's Bio

Why are you running?

Having been a resident of Madison for five-and-a-half years and gravitating towards the near west side, it's time to give back to the city that has treated me so well.  I've accepted a full-time position with a biomedical engineering company and look forward to joining the local workforce.  My goal is to bring energy and a fresh perspective to the Common Council while making the most out of my University ties.  There is a call from the near west side for a truly non-partisan candidate that will open up the lines of communication and be responsive to the needs of residents, I am here to answer that call.

University Proposals

I have indicated that my University ties would be beneficial in my effectiveness as Alderman, here are a few proposals I'm pursuing.

Health Initiative
    I am currently in contact with the CHAMPS/ Life Skills Coordinator from the Athletic Department.  The goal is to get Badger athletes visiting 3rd and 5th graders at Randall Elementary in order to promote health and fitness.  This is in coordination with the Mayor and the Fitness Initiative the City has launched in response to the high levels of adolescent obesity. 

Summer School
    I would like to propose the following: free classes offered during the summer to the general public based on interest.  Classes would most likely be open to all Wisconsin residents; however, Madison residents will definitely benefit due to location.  Professors could benefit by advancing towards tenure, UW students interested in teaching could gain classroom experience, and residents can obtain knowledge to advance towards personal goals or simply for enjoyment.

Resolving Lake Pollution
    Lake Mendota and Monona have considerable room for improvement when it comes to water quality.  I will propose a design opportunity for the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department to evaluate the problem and to recommend a final solution based on feasibility.  Two initial concepts are the evaluation of aeration systems and UV-light photocleansing of water.  The group would not be limited to these two areas and feasibility would include cost analysis based upon the City budget.

Voting Information

Want to know where you vote, how to register, or how to get an absentee ballot to vote early?  I've bookmarked the City Clerk's website for pertinent election information.

City Clerk Election Information

Too busy to vote?  You can apply for an absentee ballot and handle everything by mail.  The application is very short and it will save you a trip on April 5.

Early Voting Application

Issue Stances

Property Taxes
We need to keep a lid on raising property tax while maintaining high quality city services.

Monroe Commons
I am pleased to see the Monroe Commons project is moving along with the inclusion of a grocery store.

Minimum Wage
I support a minimum wage increase and am pleased to see Madison as a driving force behind progressive legislation.  We should encourage a state-wide increase for the betterment of all and to ensure that our city does not portray an aura of isolation.
 
Halloween
The Halloween celebration is deeply engrained in Madison culture and shutting off the city will only incite an "us vs. them" attitude. A possible solution would be to extend bar close until 4:00 A.M. to allow for a more orderly dissipation.

 Growth and Development
I think the construction boom in Madison is good for the local economy and is a positive reflection on Wisconsin as a whole. At the same time, we must not lose sight of environmental concerns and refuse to sacrifice development at the cost of Mother Nature.

 Downtown Density
Downtowns are meant to be densely populated and the near west side will maintain its neighborhood integrity if high rises are built in the center of Madison.

Transportation       
A regional rail, as proposed by County Executive Falk, is a great start to transportation issues facing both Madison and the surrounding areas. From my observations in Amsterdam, a city with very high density, citizens made excellent use of the swift light rails that ran through the streets.

 Smoking Ban
In its current form, the smoking ban is slightly too restrictive. Businesses should have the option of sectioning off an interior area via a physical boundary or apply for a special permit based on previous tobacco sales.  I do see this as a public health issue but also as an opportunity to be fair to the businesses who keep the Madison bubble from popping.

Inclusionary Zoning
IZ is rooted in good intentions; however, I'm concerned as to whether or not it will scare off potential developers.  There must be a balanced attack to provide the optimal amount of affordable housing.

Contact Information

Ben Moga                                                                       (608) 236-0859
2525 University Ave. #B                                               bjmoga@wisc.edu
Madison, WI   53705