Wednesday, May 1, 2013 - The Daily Cardinal

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Wednesday Morning Hangover The Sandlot, bikers and Elton John

Gatsby:

promising movie, even better book +ARTS, page 4

+PAGE TWO University of Wisconsin-Madison

Complete campus coverage since 1892

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dailycardinal.com

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Housing bill sparks tenant rights talks By Jack Casey The Daily Cardinal

A Republican-sponsored bill designed to standardize statewide housing regulations, including tenant-landlord relations, drew criticism from Madison city officials and University of Wisconsin-Madison students after it was introduced to the state Assembly Tuesday. The bill, which contains 10 tenant-landlord provisions, would give landlords more

flexibility in how they communicate with their tenants. Under the new bill, landlords would no longer be required to notify tenants of housing code violations unless a local housing code enforcement agency documented the violations. Additionally, landlords would no longer be required to provide tenants with a checklist outlining the property’s condition. Instead, tenants

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City approves faith-based housing An historic Catholic school will reopen as faith-based housing for University of Wisconsin-Madison students August 15 following a slim vote of approval by the city Council Tuesday, despite ongoing concerns about the future tax exemptions for the building owners. The Holy Redeemer Catholic school building, located at 120 W. Johnson St., will be transformed over the summer into the Lumin House, a 60-person-capacity residence, which will be exempt from property taxes due to its state classification as a religious building. Mayor Paul Soglin called this measure in the legislature “atrocious.”

“If I was the owner of a piece of property that was eligible to construct student housing and get this tax exemption, I would be ashamed to come in and utilize that opportunity,” Soglin said. “It is not fair to other students, it is not fair to other renters and it is not fair to anyone who in some way is contributing to the services the city provides.” Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said he has “mixed emotions” about the outcome. Verveer said he is excited the proposal meets a demand from St. Paul’s student members for Catholic housing while preserving the building’s historic exterior. However, he said his enthusiasm is “tempered” by the exclusionary and non-communicative approach Holy Redeemer leaders took with their parishioners throughout the process. “I’ve participated in many neighborhood meetings over the years and this is certainly one of the most painful that I’ve participated in,” Verveer said. According to Verveer, although the Lumin House is a designated faithbased living community, state nondiscriminatory laws will prohibit Holy Redeemer from turning away tenants Grey satterfield/the daily cardinal who do not practice Mayor Paul Soglin says property tax exemptions for Catholicism. religious housing are unfair to tax-paying tenants. —Melissa Howison

Madison transit could see make-over Madison’s Transportation and Planning Board’s preliminary study into the city’s potential for supporting a Bus Rapid Transit system discovered a network of corridors in the city where implementation would be feasible. BRT is a high-capacity, limited stop urban transportation system. Board staff will have to analyze BRT’s traffic impacts and benefits before moving forward with the project.

The report shows BRT, which would incur $9.8 million annually in operational costs, would reduce public transit traveling time up to 30 percent and stimulate the local economy by connecting the metropolitan residents to the downtown area. The city’s next steps will be to explore federal, regional and local funding options as well as ways to increase community engagement in the planning processes.

on campus

You got served

Twins Lean and Mara Redding play a rousing game of volleyball outside Sellery Hall Tuesday afternoon. + Photo by Alivia Richter

New student-run mental health office to open in fall The Associated Students of Madison Reserve Board approved over $50,000 in funding for a new student-run mental health office to be constructed in the Student Activity Center, according to a press release Tuesday. ASM’s Student Activity Center Governing Board Chair Katie Cary requested ASM build the mental health office to allow student mental health groups to provide peer-to-peer advising services, according to the press release. “There is an incredible demand for mental health services on this campus, and students could benefit from having a stable place to seek out student-provided support,” Cary said. Cary said $52,670 in student segregated fees will go toward the facility’s construction, which would be completed in fall 2013, but additional future student funding will not be needed for the facility’s operation.

According to Cary, the office’s peerto-peer advising will differentiate it from counseling services offered by University Health Services, which focus on professional counseling. Cary said many students would feel more comfortable talking to a peer than a clinical professional. Cary also said UHS is understaffed, and some students have had to wait up to six weeks for a mental health appointment, which is problematic for students who are experiencing a crisis. According to Cary, putting a mental health facility in the Student Activity Center will also promote the visibility of mental health on campus. “By putting this office in a very visible space, we send the message that mental health is not something to be hushed, ignored or looked down upon,” Cary said in the release. —Sarah Olson

Underage patron bill passes state committee A state Assembly committee unanimously approved a bill Tuesday that would allow bars and alcohol retailers to sue underage patrons in possession of fake IDs. The bill, first introduced by state Rep. André Jacque, R-De Pere, received a 9-0 vote in the bipartisan Assembly Committee on State Affairs and will now move to the state Assembly for consideration. Under the bill, licensed alcohol retailers could file a civil lawsuit with a possible fine of up to $1000 against underage drinkers caught with fake IDs. A bipartisan amendment to the bill revoked the additional penalty requiring violators to pay for any attorney’s fees charged to the establishment during lawsuit proceedings. Jacque said he intends the bill—which mirrors similar legislation adopted by other states, such as Alaska—to improve

the “culture of alcohol use and abuse” among young drinkers. “Clearly there are both aspects of public health and public safety that we need to look at and find the best practices to address,” Jacque said. The proposed bill has gained bipartisan support from state representatives and health-advocacy groups, but opponents said the baseline penalty should be lower than $1000. Additionally, some critics said they believe the threat of a lawsuit will not deter underage drinkers from using fraudulent identification. Jacque said though he understands the concern over stricter sanctions, he believes the legislation is necessary to maintain state citizens’ safety. “This [bill] is something that I’ve

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“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”


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