Send Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway a message by opposing referendum | Steven Klafka

The upcoming referendum asking residents to provide $22 million to the city of Madison is a referendum on the performance of our mayor, Satya Rhodes-Conway.

Her tenure has been out of touch and disappointing. The future health and moral character of our city continues to be tested by the insane decision of the Air Force and Wisconsin Air National Guard to bring F-35 fighter jets to the county airport. These jets damage the desirability of our city and, most important, the health and educational achievement of residents and their children.

Throughout this dramatic change to our city, the mayor has been persona non-grata. I attended the City Council meeting where the mayor reluctantly supported a city resolution rightfully opposing the stationing of these destructive and wasteful jets. I watched as the mayor refused to lobby for residents as the county airport finally updated its 30-year noise abatement plan to address the ear shattering noise the F-35 jets.

Only when the airport released its feeble draft plan, which surprisingly expanded the "Airport Affected Zone" to 34 square miles, thus limiting future city development, did the mayor finally take notice.

Why give her $22 million?

Steven Klafka, Madison