“I’m excited about the growth of the city,” said Flaherty. “But not at the expense of you and I.”

The Progressive Students of Milwaukee sponsored the final Third District Aldermanic debate prior to the April 1 elections last Wednesday in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Union West Ballroom.

Patrick Flaherty and Nik Kovac, the two remaining candidates, addressed the concerns of the UWM community, with the debate moderated by UWM Leader A&E Editor Carolyn Umfress.

The candidates began with opening comments limited to five minutes. Both illustrated their connection to the third district and involvement in both the UWM community and Riverwest.

“I want more people energized in the political process,” said Kovac. He indicated that he wants more than just excitement for this race, but increased voter participation and energy extending beyond April 1.

Flaherty explained how he discovered his “calling for public service” at UWM, citing volunteer and non-profit experience beginning in college. He also told of meeting Dan Savage, the best selling author and Onion advice columnist who recently endorsed Flaherty’s campaign, when he was a UWM student.

The first question posed to the candidates related to development and expansion in the third district and throughout the city of Milwaukee. Kovac responded first, emphasizing the importance of economic sustainability.

“We need to be thinking about how to create new jobs in a new industrial class,” Flaherty said.

Flaherty spoke on development compromises made between the needs of different groups. He used Kenilworth Square as an example, believing it represents a balance between more dorm options and consideration of the already dense student population around campus.

“I’m excited about the growth of the city,” said Flaherty. “But not at the expense of you and I. The back and forth [in Kenilworth negotiations] was a good thing.”

Another issue raised during the debate was increasing tuition expenses for college students. Flaherty called tuition inflation “outrageous” and the lack of state financial assistance for students “bad public policy”.

Kovac stated that efforts to increase state funding for tuition need to go beyond court hearing testimonies.

“Tuition is going up and public funding from the state is going down,” Kovac said.

Other issues addressed by Kovac and Flaherty included ways to improve student and resident relations, more UWM dorm options, and the Milwaukee Public School system.

“The schools are integrated but the city isn’t,” Kovac said in reference to struggling inner city MPS schools. Flaherty agreed that schools need to become more involved in their surrounding neighborhoods, saying that the city has been “investing less and less” in youth at-risk programs.

Any political differences aside, both candidates expressed the need for all third district residents, as well as the entire city, to cooperate and work together in order to solve collective problems.

“We are all in this together,” Flaherty said on reducing Milwaukee’s economic and racial boundaries. Kovac expressed similar sentiments, saying certain issues raised by voters may stretch beyond boundaries of the third district.

“We’re going to rise and fall together,” he said.

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