The deadline to submit letters related to the April 1 election is noon March 17.
Scrima gave us the things we wanted for Waukesha
People of Waukesha,
What matters most to you in everyday life? Possibly the following: A loving family. A job to support them. Smooth roads to get you there. Low taxes. Sustainable resources. Fun times. A smiling community which can say it's proud to have it all.
Thanks to Mayor Jeff Scrima's principled leadership, Waukesha, Wis., does have it all. Local government affects our daily lives the most, giving us the opportunity to have a greater voice. For four years, Mayor Scrima has listened to our voices.
We wanted low taxes. Taxes were becoming a heavier, cumbersome burden under the previous administration. Mayor Scrima vetoed the budget multiple times to keep the tax levy flat for four years straight.
We wanted jobs. Over 700 new family supporting jobs have been created thanks to Mayor Scrima's proactive business approach.
We wanted road repair. Driving through deteriorating city roads felt rough. Waukesha-native Jeff Scrima experienced the daily inconveniences we did, in turn doubling investment in road restoration.
We wanted sustainable water. Thoroughly considering every angle, Mayor Scrima was decisive on doing what's best for our daily lives, and has signed the letter of intent to Oak Creek for water. Alternative sources would burden Waukesha's economy, transportation, housing, and jobs.
We wanted fun! Thanks to Scrima's dedication to highlighting the good, true and beautiful in Waukesha, our city is now the exciting place to be. Younger generations have taken notice, as motivated millennials are investing and moving into Waukesha, contributing to this positive spirit of renewal.
We need a principled, proven and energetic visionary who listens and acts in our best interests to continue Moving Waukesha Forward. Let's use our voices to vote April 1 to re-elect Mayor Jeff Scrima, with the goal of making Waukesha the No. 1 best small city in America.
Kelsie Wendelberger
Waukesha
It's time for a change
in mayor's office
Mr. Reilly,
It is with great pleasure that I offer my endorsement to you in your campaign for mayor of the great City of Waukesha.
When I review the body of work that you bring to the table, I am impressed. Attorney for Mukwonago for over 20 years, attorney for Village of Eagle for 18 years. You don't remain in those jobs for that long without having a good product. As a byproduct of that experience, I recall the meeting of the Common Council in November 2012, when our current mayor announced, in dramatic fashion, that he was breaking the tie vote on the annexation of 5 Diamonds. I remember you saying "this takes two-thirds vote," which was fact.
Your involvement in so many groups — Rotary, United Way, Phantom Lake YMCA and more — shows your involvement in the community. The one group that you were in, the Business Improvement District (BID), brings into focus your ability to understand the workings of Waukesha Government.
When one decides to not return a mayor to office, it should be for good reason. There is always a learning curve when a new venture is taken on. In my opinion our current mayor has used up the tolerance allowed. When the mayor went into office, he refused to endorse the need for Lake Michigan in spite of all the evidence by experts. This required costly staff and research time to go over the same thing again. Four years later we are trying to cut healthcare costs and again the mayor comes in and upsets the process. Being part of the process gives you opportunity to have creative input. Doing the Perry Mason thing is great for theater but bad for good policy.
Duane E Paulson
Waukesha
Scrima did an excellent job and should be re-elected
To the editor,
I think Mayor Scrima did an excellent job as mayor.
He had to stand up to some very powerful special interests to support and serve all the people of this city in regards to our water issues. He's done well there on our behalf.
He struggled to establish his authority despite many challenges. He triumphed over those who preferred a get-along kind of guy. He has represented the people well as the city leader. As a result, we have many new businesses, jobs and a much-improved place to live.
He held the line on taxes. No one in my recollection has ever done this. He had to exercise the power of his office to veto budgets to make that happen. But in doing so, he has well served the people of this city.
Downtown is a place now safe and interesting, entertaining for my children. Scrima has played an important part in making downtown a desirable family event.
Perhaps it was in jest that he offered half his salary — never expecting to win the election. But it shows the quality of his character that he followed through and donated half his salary to improve the quality of this city. I've never seen a mayor so bold or true to such quality of character.
Despite the challenges of being a first-time public servant, and what that entailed to learn the ropes to be effective, he surely made a quantum improvement in this city and our quality of life.
I wish he had met the president. And I'm disappointed about that.
I can only expect further great things from this man should we give him another term as mayor.
We have a very good mayor. Let's re-elect him.
Robert Latta
Waukesha