Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 10:06:47 -0600
Dear Sir:
I was very disappointed to read your
editorial from 5/24/99. You said the
opposition is misguided. Perhaps it has been yourselves and many local
officials (county boards) that are misguided. How can you or any local
officials endorse a proposal that you haven't even read? Something that
was purposefully withheld from everyone for more than 8 months. Where were
you when our 3 state representatives promised at a Lafayette Town meeting
that there would be hearing in Sept.? Where were you when Sykora told us
that these men will waiting to die and over age 70? Then 65? Then 55?
Now 50!
Why the name change from geriatric to special needs, which will eventually
be just plain medium security! Balow said he has not had much negative
feedback until recently. That is because we were asked to wait until we saw
the plan in Sept. (this "deal" was made in July with Sykora, Zien and
Schafer). Next thing we see is it's almost a done deal over and over by
Sykora in press releases and articles. The plan was to not let the people
have a say. To get local governments on board and sneak it through with no
opposition. Why would Chippewa want a medium security prison when they
voted down Supermax?
I was downtown Eau Claire on
Saturday and found it to be a virtual ghost town. The
only thing open were bars. Why don't you propose revitalizing a dead inner
city with a prison? Housing would be handy and resonalbe for families. It
could be next to the future arena. Kind of a tourist draw.
The press is supposed to be free and carefully watch what the government is
doing. Not promote government misleading.
Since when is 50 years old frail elderly? A 50 year old able bodied inmate
geriatric? If these people are so harmless discharge them to their
families. Or put in private nursing homes. If towns that have prisons
already love them, let them have this one. How many people in Black River
work at Jackson? How many outside hires eventually move there? Have you
tried to write a check at a Black River business in the last two years?
Hard to do.
I lived in a prison town. I saw or heard three escapes (medium security). I
saw and heard the family of four whose father was in the prison. They lived
next door.
Sykora (why you'd believe anything he says, I can't anymore) cannot
override the guards' union and hire Northern Center employees first.
That "good" neighbor that becomes bigger will look really great to incoming
visitors as they pass it on the new 29 interchange. Maybe they'll miss the
signs that tell one not to pick up people along the road. We can all get
rid of our yard lights the prison will light the sky for miles.
Why don't you ask Thompson, Sykora and the rest, "What is Wisconsin doing
to help youths avoid the lure of crime". Do you know that Iowa and
Colorado both plan future prison needs by the number of 3rd graders who
can't read adequately? Is that why CF and EC all too often have close to
30 or more students in classrooms? Why teachers salaries have been frozen
for 5+ years? Why school budgets have been frozen for 5+ years? Why the
Governor has led the anti-school sentiment through his words and actions
for many years? We all know that the best tool we can give our children is
an education, what could we do with the "geriatric" funding with schools?
Don't schools qualify as economic engines by your definition? Well?
Come on Mr. Mells! Do some research! Read the facts! Ask some hard
questions! Work to make our area a better place. Who do you know that
vacations in Waupon? I've never met anyone.
John Wetzel
John Wetzel
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