Zenz
@therealzenz.bsky.social
Mostly Madison, WI development and political news. I live-tweet most Madison Plan Commission and Common Council meetings. Views are my own. Councilytics.com
Reposted by Zenz
Lincoln wasn't perfect, but he was very good.
Abraham Lincoln, 1855.
www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/spee...
www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/spee...
![I am not a Know-Nothing. That is certain. How could I be? How can any one who abhors the oppression of negroes, be in favor or degrading classes of white people? Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except negroes" When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics." When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty -- to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocracy [sic].](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:egd33s7iuqsmwlwab6mbtrqi/bafkreiaaicjid4jg3oongeah73ukqvwsqv4vwbp75q4f755nldtcfermhi@jpeg)
November 28, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Lincoln wasn't perfect, but he was very good.
Reposted by Zenz
Duncan alternate banning sales of Dogs, Cats, Rabbits, and Guinea Pigs fails 9-9 with Verveer, Vidaver, Duncan, Figueroa Cole, Guequierre, Govindarajan, Matthews, Mayer, Ochowicz voting for it.
November 26, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Duncan alternate banning sales of Dogs, Cats, Rabbits, and Guinea Pigs fails 9-9 with Verveer, Vidaver, Duncan, Figueroa Cole, Guequierre, Govindarajan, Matthews, Mayer, Ochowicz voting for it.
Reposted by Zenz
Ban on sale of dogs and cats in the city of Madison passes with only Knox and Harrington-McKinney voting against.
November 26, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Ban on sale of dogs and cats in the city of Madison passes with only Knox and Harrington-McKinney voting against.
Big issues at tonight's Madison Common Council are regulations and the sale of hemp-THC and pets. The first would require age verification and ban vending machines. The pet sale regulations would ban the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores, an alternate by Duncan extends it to Rabbits & Guinea Pigs
November 26, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Big issues at tonight's Madison Common Council are regulations and the sale of hemp-THC and pets. The first would require age verification and ban vending machines. The pet sale regulations would ban the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores, an alternate by Duncan extends it to Rabbits & Guinea Pigs
Instead of the YIMBY index, all my candidate recommendations next year will be based upon how people voted on Duncan's Rabbit/Guinea Pig alternate to the pet sale ban. Tonight at Madison Common Council.
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
November 25, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Instead of the YIMBY index, all my candidate recommendations next year will be based upon how people voted on Duncan's Rabbit/Guinea Pig alternate to the pet sale ban. Tonight at Madison Common Council.
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
Not likely to happen, but if Shorewood Hills President Imes doesn't resign, they are really setting up the sort of environment where someone eventually makes demonstrably false claims against him with malice that lead to concrete reputational damages, and then gets sued.
Lofti keeps asking for a spreadsheet that she supposedly already has - Bassuner jumps in and says that he doesn't want it to engage in a witch hunt. Lofti: public comment has been 2-3 hours recently at all meetings recently, and open records requests are constant, as a reason why Imes should resign.
November 24, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Not likely to happen, but if Shorewood Hills President Imes doesn't resign, they are really setting up the sort of environment where someone eventually makes demonstrably false claims against him with malice that lead to concrete reputational damages, and then gets sued.
Got a cough so don't want to expose a room of retirees to the plague, so covering Shorewood Hills through Zoom. Two Trustees asking village President to resign. First public comment is about those single family homes someone is trying to build, for no apparent reason...
November 24, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Got a cough so don't want to expose a room of retirees to the plague, so covering Shorewood Hills through Zoom. Two Trustees asking village President to resign. First public comment is about those single family homes someone is trying to build, for no apparent reason...
The fact that both Walker and Soglin spend their time shit posting on Facebook about Madison is pretty funny.
www.jsonline.com/story/news/p...
www.jsonline.com/story/news/p...
Scott Walker calls downtown Madison Amtrak proposal a 'dumb idea'
Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who opposed connecting Milwaukee and Madison via rail, says he was "right to kill this idea years ago."
www.jsonline.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:38 AM
The fact that both Walker and Soglin spend their time shit posting on Facebook about Madison is pretty funny.
www.jsonline.com/story/news/p...
www.jsonline.com/story/news/p...
I'm covering the collapse of the Shorewood Hills government live in-person on Monday. A really wild thing about this story is how this guy trying to build single family houses is a major reason the Lodgic building debate got so heated, and why the Pres. might be ousted.
isthmus.com/news/news/sh...
isthmus.com/news/news/sh...
Shorewood Hills residents organize against two new single-family homes
A Madison-area developer is looking to build two single-family homes in Shorewood Hills. The projects have proven contentious.
isthmus.com
November 23, 2025 at 4:31 AM
I'm covering the collapse of the Shorewood Hills government live in-person on Monday. A really wild thing about this story is how this guy trying to build single family houses is a major reason the Lodgic building debate got so heated, and why the Pres. might be ousted.
isthmus.com/news/news/sh...
isthmus.com/news/news/sh...
Reposted by Zenz
With the recognition that there's lots of worthy causes needing funding these days, let me tell you about WisconsinEye. It's CSPAN for Wisconsin. It makes our statehouse affairs accessible to people across the state and nation. Without it, news and democracy will suffer. wiseye.org/news-release...
News Release: WisconsinEye Urgent Funding Appeal - WisconsinEye
For Immediate Release Contact: Jon Henkes Phone: 608-316-5490 Email: [email protected] WISCONSINEYE URGENT FUNDING APPEAL WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network is in urgent need of $1 million in ope...
wiseye.org
November 20, 2025 at 10:30 PM
With the recognition that there's lots of worthy causes needing funding these days, let me tell you about WisconsinEye. It's CSPAN for Wisconsin. It makes our statehouse affairs accessible to people across the state and nation. Without it, news and democracy will suffer. wiseye.org/news-release...
It's time for Madison Plan Commission! Right off the bat, that controversial no-parking apartment building at 139 W Wilson referred to Dec. at developer request. A conversion of commercial building to adult day care center for ~30 at 4718 Hammersley Rd needs conditional use approval.
November 18, 2025 at 12:01 AM
It's time for Madison Plan Commission! Right off the bat, that controversial no-parking apartment building at 139 W Wilson referred to Dec. at developer request. A conversion of commercial building to adult day care center for ~30 at 4718 Hammersley Rd needs conditional use approval.
Get the popcorn. An upzone in a trendy low density residential area is the true test of whether an alder is committed to YIMBY.
madison.com/news/local/b...
madison.com/news/local/b...
November 14, 2025 at 4:56 AM
Get the popcorn. An upzone in a trendy low density residential area is the true test of whether an alder is committed to YIMBY.
madison.com/news/local/b...
madison.com/news/local/b...
It's Madison Budget Night(s)! Starting now!
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
Capital Budget (stuff we build/buy):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
Operating Budget (mostly staff):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
Capital Budget (stuff we build/buy):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
Operating Budget (mostly staff):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
2026 Capital Budget
AmendmentsFinance Committee AmendmentsExecutive Budget
www.cityofmadison.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:41 PM
It's Madison Budget Night(s)! Starting now!
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
Capital Budget (stuff we build/buy):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
Operating Budget (mostly staff):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
Capital Budget (stuff we build/buy):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
Operating Budget (mostly staff):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
In development news. Several State Street store fronts are about to open up as the THC products they are selling will soon be against federal law.
November 11, 2025 at 3:27 AM
In development news. Several State Street store fronts are about to open up as the THC products they are selling will soon be against federal law.
The purpose of secret party meetings is to figure out who is going to vote for things that are unpopular with the base. It is the norm. This is also why the filibuster is so popular. It prevents centrists from having to vote on things that are popular with their party but not in their state.
None can be primaried in the next cycle, Shaheen & Durbin retiring.
Hassan, Masto, Fetterman up for reelection in 2028.
Rosen, Kaine, King up for reelection in 2030.
Hassan, Masto, Fetterman up for reelection in 2028.
Rosen, Kaine, King up for reelection in 2030.
November 10, 2025 at 2:43 AM
The purpose of secret party meetings is to figure out who is going to vote for things that are unpopular with the base. It is the norm. This is also why the filibuster is so popular. It prevents centrists from having to vote on things that are popular with their party but not in their state.
Reposted by Zenz
This Sunday, November 9th at 1pm is our monthly meeting at Cargo Coffee East. This month we're discussing the Winter 2025 Housing Forward proposals (link below), which includes 4 units in TOD, Cottage Courts, and more!
www.cityofmadison.com/mayor/priori...
www.cityofmadison.com/mayor/priori...
Winter 2025 Proposals
www.cityofmadison.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:22 PM
This Sunday, November 9th at 1pm is our monthly meeting at Cargo Coffee East. This month we're discussing the Winter 2025 Housing Forward proposals (link below), which includes 4 units in TOD, Cottage Courts, and more!
www.cityofmadison.com/mayor/priori...
www.cityofmadison.com/mayor/priori...
Reposted by Zenz
Since we as a society cannot conceive of an urban building not reliant on cars, I propose a new type of building:
Put parking at street level and above, so cars can occupy their rightful place in our cities, and let people live underground
Put parking at street level and above, so cars can occupy their rightful place in our cities, and let people live underground
Monday at Madison Plan Commission a downtown 320 microunit unit apartment building downtown at 139 W Wilson St up for approval; staff is concerned that it may be too dense for the narrow lot and, without any parking, might mean too much loading/pickup activity.
madison.legistar.com/LegislationD...
madison.legistar.com/LegislationD...
November 8, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Since we as a society cannot conceive of an urban building not reliant on cars, I propose a new type of building:
Put parking at street level and above, so cars can occupy their rightful place in our cities, and let people live underground
Put parking at street level and above, so cars can occupy their rightful place in our cities, and let people live underground
Reposted by Zenz
Based on watching the video, these shots were taken well after a White House official started to push reporters out of the room, urging "cameras, we're done..."
Following orders from aides is a courtesy. Not doing so might result in losing a pass, but they don't have any real authority.
Following orders from aides is a courtesy. Not doing so might result in losing a pass, but they don't have any real authority.
I can't decide if I like Harnik or Caballero-Reynolds's angle better.
November 6, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Based on watching the video, these shots were taken well after a White House official started to push reporters out of the room, urging "cameras, we're done..."
Following orders from aides is a courtesy. Not doing so might result in losing a pass, but they don't have any real authority.
Following orders from aides is a courtesy. Not doing so might result in losing a pass, but they don't have any real authority.
Reposted by Zenz
All YIMBY ballot measures are currently winning in NYC by 10-point margins at least
November 5, 2025 at 2:12 AM
All YIMBY ballot measures are currently winning in NYC by 10-point margins at least
kind of a global warming sign
www.cityofmadison.com/news/2025-11...
www.cityofmadison.com/news/2025-11...
November 4, 2025 at 4:44 AM
kind of a global warming sign
www.cityofmadison.com/news/2025-11...
www.cityofmadison.com/news/2025-11...
YIMBYs should probably be frustrated by the fact that this likely would have been approved if it had a parking space for every unit, units twice the size, and rents priced accordingly.
Madison Plan Comm unanimously referred to future meeting 16 stry 320 unit microunit building at 139 W Wilson wth no parking. PC wants a management plan that addresses congestion in loading area, concerned about too much delivery/rideshare/move in activity, and possible blocking of public right away.
November 4, 2025 at 2:16 AM
YIMBYs should probably be frustrated by the fact that this likely would have been approved if it had a parking space for every unit, units twice the size, and rents priced accordingly.
Reposted by Zenz
On to conditional use for a 320 unit 16 story apartment building at 139 W Wilson. Staff is concerned about the density of the building on a narrow lot, and particularly space for pickup/drop off and service vehicles. Dev. provides scenario for service/garbage vehicles, and plans on staggered move in
November 4, 2025 at 12:38 AM
On to conditional use for a 320 unit 16 story apartment building at 139 W Wilson. Staff is concerned about the density of the building on a narrow lot, and particularly space for pickup/drop off and service vehicles. Dev. provides scenario for service/garbage vehicles, and plans on staggered move in
The big item at tonight's Madison Plan Commission will be the 320 units I mention below, but first they are talking about changing the name of southern Ruskin to Huxley with the new through connection by the Hartmeyer. Some addresses will change.
bsky.app/profile/ther...
bsky.app/profile/ther...
November 4, 2025 at 12:09 AM
The big item at tonight's Madison Plan Commission will be the 320 units I mention below, but first they are talking about changing the name of southern Ruskin to Huxley with the new through connection by the Hartmeyer. Some addresses will change.
bsky.app/profile/ther...
bsky.app/profile/ther...