Talk:Bridget Maniaci
From Badger Herald Wiki
OLD PAGE:
%META:TOPICINFO{author="JasonSmathers" date="1248204468" format="1.1" reprev="1.4" version="1.4"}% %META:TOPICPARENT{name="ToDo"}% ---+ Bridget Maniaci
Bridget Maniaci is the District 2 Alderwoman of Madison's Common Council since April 2009 and she is a 2007 graduate from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
%TOC%
---++ Personal Biography
Bridget Maniaci graduated from UW-Madison in 2007 with a major in Political Science and Economics. She is also a native, fourth-generation daughter of Madison and is the oldest of three children. Aside from her political career, Maniaci is an experienced photographer and has photographed for Madison-based newspapers like The Capital Times and The Onion. During her under-graduate years at UW-Madison, she was involved in many groups on campus including The Daily Cardinal, The Roosevelt Institution, and WSUM student radio.
---++ Early Political Career/Experiences
Her political and policy experience includes working in the legislature for former State Rep. Tom Hebl (D-Sun Prairie), and on the campaigns of school board President Johnny Winston Jr. and A Fair Wisconsin Votes No. She served as campaign manager to Progressive Dane County Board Supervisor Wyndham Manning, and most recently worked in the Madison headquarters of the Obama campaign. Most notably, Bridget spent her last year of college working in the office of Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz as press intern learning municipal leadership firsthand. She was involved with planning the inaugural year of Freakfest, served on the committee for the city’s Sesquicentennial Time Capsule, and assisted with the city’s legislative agenda and budget process. [all text from http://bridgetformadison.com/About_Bridget.html]
---+++ Run for District 2 Alderwoman
Maniaci announces her candidacy for Common Council as Madison's District 2 Alderwoman in January 2009; she runs against Brenda Konkel, one of the council’s most outspoken liberals who was running for her 5th consecutive term after 8 years.
On her bridgetformadison.com website, she outlines issues in the District 2 neighborhood that she will work to address and solve if she was elected into office. Of those issues and solutions includes: a). improvement of infrastructure and services to combat issues of crime by improving the lighting in the district through the Downtown Residential Lighting Initiative, b). working to to create a ensure that "citizens of all incomes can find a home within our neighborhood and do not become priced out of their homes and apartments", c). addressing the district's aging housing stock, d). partnering with city, county, and state agencies to create a thoughtful response to rising water levels in Lake Mendota, e). working tirelessly to ensure the successful funding and execution of the Tenney Park shelter replacement and, f). working to create a vibrant, diverse, exciting neighborhood to downtown Madison.
Maniaci gained victory in a 962 to 900 vote against Konkel on April 7, 2009. She was supported by the current mayor, Dave Cieslewicz, two former mayors including Paul Soglin and Joe Sensenbrenner, and the police and firefighter unions. Other endorsers includes the Wisconsin State Journal, The Badger Herald, The Daily Cardinal, and many other individuals.
---++Term as District 2 Alderwoman (2009-????)
Maniaci endorses the Madison Common Council-approved development of a set of new apartment complexes along E. Gorham Street, E. Johnson Street, and N. Blair Street; the Council approved the proposal on May 19, 2009.
In late May, Maniaci stated, "One thing that was really important to me with this project is that the people who currently live in the neighborhood were not going to get priced out by the redevelopment company. This project is really going to set the standard for quality construction and amenities, including being greenbuilt [1]." She also mentions that housing in these complexes will be affordable for more people who has just gotten their first job out of college with an income around $27,000 to $31,000.
Within Maniaci's district is a major $107 million development of the Edgewater Hotel, slated with a 2012 completion, located on 666 Wisconsin Avenue. Edgewater's developer, Robert Dunn, hopes that this development will "reshape" the city in same ways that Madison landmarks such as the Overture Center and Monona Terrace has done. Regarding concerns over the development of the hotel, Maniaci has stated to the Wisconsin State Journal that "there is much to like in the proposal but it has created tensions among neighbors [2]."
---++Criticisms
The development of Edgewater Hotel, located 666 Wisconsin Avenue, is heavily criticized and former District 2 Alderwoman Brenda Konkel criticizes Maniaci for seeming to go "MIA" during the entire process of the development. The Hotel sits within Maniaci's district, and many residents have become displeased with the development since it surpasses the 50-feet height limit. Also, many critics have suggested that the Edgewater redevelopment plan had been made in secrecy, but an editorial from the Wisconsin State Journal reassures that the developer, Robert Dunn, "has reached out to stakeholders, holding many meetings with residents and groups [3]." Konkel, who says she attended 20-30 public meetings related to Edgewater during her time in office, applauds Michael Verveer, Alderman for District 4, on her 'This Side of Town' blog for, unlike Maniaci, getting involved in the redevelopments after Konkel was emitted from office as Alderwoman.
