Moving...

Hey everyone, at least for the duration of the campaign, I am moving all my new posting activity to www.YuriRashkin.com, which is newly redesigned and awesome.  Please follow me there and let's continue the conversation!  Thanks.

It's time to get signatures!

During my two elections to the council, I got to gather signatures in December.  I had more than my fair share of hot chocolate and coffee offered to me as I knocked on doors throughout Janesville and I enjoyed it all.  Now, in my race to represent the 44th Assembly District, I get to gather signatures starting on April 15.  With all my love for democracy and elections, I can't tell you how excited I am to gather signatures in the springtime, storms notwithstanding.  

Help me take this opportunity to really make a statement about how serious we are in taking back the 44th Assembly District seat!  Download and print this form, and help us get some signatures to put my name on the ballot.  If you have any questions or want to be involved with the campaign, please send email me to yrashkin@gmail.com or call 608-754-2424.

I am a very lucky man

When I announced my candidacy 4 1/2 years ago, I was told that I am a good guy but good guys from out of town don't get elected to Janesville City Council.  Today, I am glad because I believed in Janesville and Janesville proved me right.  Though I am a naturalized citizen, it is here that I have been able to become the person I always wanted to be, someone who makes a difference in the lives of others, brings some common sense to government, and is not afraid to stand for my community.

During the past 4 years, we've been dealt many difficult challenges but I know that the future of Janesville is bright and full of promise.  Janesville used to be defined only by General Motors and that was wrong because we are so much more than that.  How our community pulled together and got through four of the most difficult years Janesville has seen in generations after the closure of the GM plant says a lot about who we are and what we stand for.  I have seen people come together to make sure that our community remains safe and strong and it made me proud every time.

As my four years of service are winding down, I want to extend my sincere and heartfelt gratitude to Janesville voters for allowing me to make a positive difference in our community by serving on the council.  I have learned much about Janesville, supported and stood up for things that were important to our community, and worked to bring more jobs to Janesville, championing transparency while always looking to protect the taxpayers.

I want to thank the Janesville Gazette for covering City Council and keeping a watchful eye on our local government.  We have not always been in perfect agreement on everything, and we will never be, but Janesville is very fortunate to have a daily newspaper, staffed with trained professionals who do their very best to provide readers with material worth reading each and every day.

A friend was relaying a story to me about her experience in local government in a small community not too far from us, featuring possible back room deals and likely violations of open meeting laws.  Right away I could tell that there was no daily newspaper covering that village council.  It is in big part because of the Janesville Gazette that we have local government and municipal organization that we can all be proud of.  Right or wrong, left or right, Gazette puts the pressure on all of us to perform to our top standards and it makes our community better.

I want to thank JATV for covering all the council meetings and study sessions.  They don't hear all that much from their viewers but I do, and I can vouch for the valuable service to our community that our only local television station provides.  There may not always be a lot of people here in the chambers but it does not mean that the people of Janesville are not watching.  And now with the proceedings being broadcast online, even more people can learn about how our local government functions.  None of this would be helpful without JATV.  I am glad to see JATV build more partnerships with other local media organizations because we get further by working together.  And it makes Janesville a better place to live.

I want to thank everyone who has come and spoke to the council.  One of the things I have learned is that it is possible to do so much without ever being on the council.  People who take the time to come and speak here deserve a lot of respect, and they really do influence the decisions that are made by the council.

This gratitude extends to Andreah K. Briarmoon who has spoken at nearly every meeting over my 4 years at this dais.  Council members as well as other residents are regularly frustrated by the anonymous comments posted online and in Gazette's Sound Off column about those serving our community.  For my part, I am used to it, in fact I believe that serving public requires developing a thick skin and requires tolerating dissent.  Frankly, I take it as part of my media diet.  However, I give special credit to Andreah for having the guts to say what she does nearly every time she speaks in these chambers.  The kind of irresponsible and ignorant accusations that most people would only dare to say behind an anonymous handle on a website, she says it right to our faces.   By doing this, she helps all of us develop thicker skin, and for that, thank you, Ms. Briarmoon.

I want to thank the city employees.  The last few years have not been kindest to you but through it all, you have made me proud again and again by your professionalism and dedication to doing your job the best way possible.  You have been asked to make sacrifices while criticized for making a living.  Your pay has been cut yet you were asked to do more and more.  People retired and they were not replaced.  Yet through it all you keep our city clean and safe.  Thank you.

Every council member writes their own job description and I felt that mine was to use some common sense in representing my community and to make sure that city on an organizational level was running at its best, which means treating employees with respect they deserve.  With the help of city employees, I know that I am leaving an organization that residents can continue to be proud of.

I want to thank the management team which made my time on the council both easier and more educational. I am very grateful to Steve Sheiffer, Jay Winzenz and Eric Levitt for taking the time during their tenures at various points to meet with me on weekly basis over the past 4 years, to answer my questions and to educate me on the important issues that were coming before the council.  Each brought their distinct style of management but all brought their incredible dedication to making Janesville the best and most successful community they could make it.

I have learned about governance and what it takes to create effective change.  It means to speak up and make your voice heard and then accept change that is gradual and incremental.  As in a relationship, you never want to put your partner in a corner, and in government you are better off listening to all voices.  I have stated more than once the direction that I would like the council to take, but I have learned that finding middle ground is important because no one speaks for everyone, because there are at least three sides to every story, and because the truth is usually in the middle.

I want to thank each and every council member I have worked with over the years.  Everyone has taught me something about myself, about listening, and about communication.  No matter if we agreed or disagreed on any particular issue, we did what we thought was best for our community and thank you for never making me doubt that.  Even though my time on the council is at its end, I look forward to continuing to make a positive difference in our community, and I promise to come and speak to the council from time to time about important issues.

Finally and most importantly I want to thank my family for being there for me over these four years, which was not always easy.  My amazing dad, brother, daughter Isabelle and my fiance Inna, who have been my bridge over troubled waters, and who inspire me to do more and to do it better every day.  I am so grateful for your patience and for making the sacrifices you made to help me do my best to make our community a better place for everyone.  I could not have have done it without you.

Four years ago, Janesville voters gave me the incredible opportunity to serve our community on the City Council.  For a kid from Moscow, Russia, who came to the United States in 1988, as a refugee, without speaking a word of English, I know I am a very lucky man.  I hope that in today's world, where getting ahead is hard and sometimes seems to be only getting harder, I can inspire and give hope to others.  I am doing this because I want people to know that it is still possible to achieve the American dream through hard work and by helping those around you.

Thank you.

Yuri Rashkin

Should the Janesville Gazette endorse anyone?

With the Spring election being only one day away, people are asking me who I support and who they should vote for tomorrow.  This happens every election, and that is why I have come out with my official endorsements for Janesville City Council: Farrell, Murray, Smillie and Southers.  I hope you will support these fine candidates.

However, I have also heard from more than one person expressing their displeasure with the fact that the Janesville Gazette is endorsing candidates, period.  What do you think?  Should the Gazette play a more neutral role and only provide summary of positions that candidates for various offices hold without effectively trying to get "their" people elected and "their" issues passed?  Is that any different from people like myself and others who have done research and determined which candidates are likely to do a better job?  Is it fair if a candidate looses or wins an election because of an editorial in the Gazette?  Speaking of which, do you think that a candidate can loose or win an election because of Gazette's endorsement?

Of course there are differences between my or anyone else's endorsements vs Gazette or any other mass media outlet.  For one, my biases - and let's make it clear, everyone has a bias - are more obvious than the Gazette's.  I am an individual with the record of public service, votes and documented statements, stories and opinions.  The owner of Bliss communications, on the other hand, is known for his conservative views and I have a hard time seeing how the editorial board could override their boss's preference.  Yet, the endorsements officially come from the Gazette and its editorial board, not the paper's owner.  Gazette's clarification pointing out that there is a difference between their reporting and their editorial stance probably does more to confuse than to clarify the distinction.  I understand Gazette's staff dedication to professional journalism but in the end, does the editorial page adversely affect the reputation of Janesville Gazette as a whole?

As the paper of record in Janesville, perhaps it is time for the Gazette to get out of the endorsement business and let the candidates' records speak for themselves.  What do you think?

I am proud of our Janesville Police Department.

Few days ago, I had the pleasure of attending the Janesville Police Department 2012 Awards.  Those recognized at this ceremony included members of JPD but also residents of our community, local businesses and organizations including YWCA and Local Vision TV.  The ceremony was full of heart warming moments, including a man whose life was saved by actions of two Janesville police officers.  He was present at the awards, and was able to thank the police officers who were just doing their job, in person.

I want to take this opportunity to convey just how proud I am of the Janesville Police Department.  During my four years on the council, I have been impressed over and over by their professionalism, dedication, and just plain willingness to help those in need.  I took my time to get to know the department, including going on ride alongs and I always learned something new and positive both about the JPD and about Janesville.

I want to especially acknowledge the efforts of Chief Dave Moore who is continuing the great work of the previous police chiefs, but in his own distinct way.  Chief Moore and I both graduated from the same program and have Master's degrees from UW - Whitewater in Communications.  Besides being alumnis, I have the first hand knowledge of the training and education Chief Moore received, and as a communication person myself, I think it is incredibly important for those leading important institutions such as Janesville Police Department, to be able communicators, who are able not only to lead and inspire their staff but also to communicate with media, and know how to effectively build bridges with the community they serve.

If you, the reader, live in Janesville, I invite you to take the time to get to know our police department.  Ask to go on a ride along - most anyone can do it - go on tour of the station, talk to Chief Moore or to any of his assistants.  I know you will be impressed.  I am.

Finally, over the weekend, JPD and our community lost Mike Duerr, a detective with the JPD.  Mike will be much missed and I ask you to keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.  

Why I Walked Out on Governor Walker - one year later

On March 29th, 2011, I went to Forward Janesville annual dinner, like I have every year during my service on the council.  I shook hands, ate the meal, listened to speeches.  After all, the main reason for me to be there, was to support our local businesses who do so much for our community.  Then, when Governor Scott Walker came on stage to give the keynote address, I got up, said my good byes to the other council members, and walked outside where I joined the protesters who had gathered to protest the Governor.

A year had passed since that cold day outside Holiday Inn but to this day, people come up to me and thank me for having the courage to walk out on Scott Walker.  On the other hand, there are those who continue to remind me about my individual statement as the reason why they will never support me in an election, no matter what else I had done to make Janesville a better place during my service on the council.  I accept all of this as a price one pays for having the privilege of serving the public.

Being a public servant means different things to different people, but to me, one extremely important part of service, is standing up for your constituents.  Saying things that need to be said, no matter what others may think and taking a stand for my community, is a vital part of public service and I learned a lot about standing up over the past year.

When I first ran for Janesville City Council, I worked hard to get the voters to see me as a person who is open-minded, considerate, creative, inclusive and ultimately uses common sense while serving the public.  Over the past 4 years, I practiced and continue to improve on those skills everyday.  Making sure that before voting on any issue I do my research, speak to those who will be affected by my vote, understand the logic of both those for and against an issue in front of the council, and understanding whether government action is necessary in the first place, is extremely important to me.  I have taken the time to learn about whatever the issue before me is, ask questions and listen to the answers.

But when Governor Walker came to town in March of this year, and I walked out of the dinner when he was about to take the stage, I learned something about public service I did not think much about before: in tough times, sometimes the best thing that a public servant even in a local office can do to represent their constituents, is to point at an injustice and say "This is wrong and I will not stand silently by and watch an injustice being done!"  Voters elect leaders not just to be prudent with the taxpayers' money and make policy but to protect, speak up and stand up for the community we represent.

When I speak and write, I mostly do it to promote working together.  As long as I have been around, I have seen people get further in life by working together, with support of others.  As they say "no one succeeds on their own."  And I want to thank Governor Scott Walker for bringing so many good people together, if only to make sure that he is no longer our governor.

Yet, there is a time when it is up to our elected leaders to speak up when the voices of others may not be heard as loudly.  To practice that trust that was placed in us when we were elected to the position we ran for.  Bakers make bread, teachers teach, doctors heal and public servants stand up and speak up.

A year ago I had an opportunity to speak up, and I did what I felt had to be done for the many gathered outside who felt abandoned by their elected leaders, starting with our governor.  I wanted to show that people should not give up on the ability of public servants to speak for the public we serve.  I wanted to show that there is an important role that local government can play, and it's not just to hold the line on spending.  And I did what any individual has a right to do, to attend or to leave a public gathering.

I am proud of what happened and I thank the voters for giving me the opportunity to stand up for what is right.  With your help, I will be able to continue stand for Janesville in Madison.

Local officials signing recall petitions: right or responsibility?

This morning our local elected officials got hit by the Gazette with the double wammy of criticism for signing petitions calling for recall of Governor Walker.  This was done via a guest editorial and a letter from a resident (himself a member of Janesville's Transportation Committee).  None of these were written by anyone on the Gazette's staff, both were however found to be fit for publication next to each other, a clear sign that we are in election season, and the issue of signing petitions calling for recall of Governor Scott Walker, is being used as the wedge issue in Wisconsin Spring elections.

The guest editorial was reprinted from Leader-Telegram out of Eau Claire.  Having acknowledged that those elected to non-partisan offices are still allowed to act as individuals, the editorial proceeds to criticize those elected to local government offices for wading into partisan politics by signing petitions.

"As citizens and voters, these nonpartisan officials are, of course, free to sign recall petitions or otherwise broadcast their partisan affiliations.  But is doing so really a good idea?  The deeper they wade into partisan politics, the more politicized - and partisan - their own offices become.  Voters who traditionally have viewed city council and school board members as civic-minded volunteers who have made the best interests of the community at heart may instead began to suspect they are simply partisan hacks."

It would be really nice if our local media outlets, be it the Janesville Gazette or Leader-Telegram, assumed the role that their communities expect them to play, which is to be the adults in the room and be fair in their assessment of the situation, instead of fostering the attitude of ignorance.  Having served on the council for 4 years, I can tell you that few issues affecting the council are partisan in nature.  From sidewalks to roundabouts, from ice arenas to two-way streets, city councils deal with a lot of issues where it does not matter what party a person belongs to.  In fact, frequently people who belong to the same party, vehemently disagree on specific issues such as sidewalks or anything else.

I am aware that even though I have served as an unpaid member of Janesville City Council for two terms, putting in countless hours of my time to make our community a better place, my position on anything will be a suspect as long as I remain in public eye as a candidate or a holder of a partisan political office.  I accept that.  Still, most people who serve in our local governments never run for any other office, and work for our communities knowing full well that any decision made will be criticized by somebody.  For this commitment they deserve respect.  Insulting people en masse by calling them "partisan hacks" or questioning their motives to serve for signing a petition, is nothing short of witch hunt because the desired result is to intimidate people into silence.  Remember, this petition was signed by nearly a million people.  That means that not only 1 in 6 people in our state signed, but it also means that many of these people are elected and appointed officials, serving and representing our communities to the best of our ability.

This brings up the question of responsibility that we as elected officials have to our constituents.  The actions of Governor Walker hurt not only each one of us living in Wisconsin, individually, but they damage our local communities and our education.  Remember those ALEC "tools" Governor has talked so much about?  And who knows more about the damage brought to us by the Fitzgerald brothers controlled Assembly and Senate, and signed into law by Governor Walker, then our local elected leaders who had to take all the cuts and changes given to us, and somehow find a way to make our ends meet on the local level?  English statesman Edmund Burke' famous expression that "all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" makes it clear that it is not just an individual right to sign a recall petition, it is our responsibility as elected officials to our constituents, to protect our communities and to sign a recall petition.

The Gazette has also published a letter announcing who of the currently serving council members and school board commissioners in Janesville, as well as candidates running for those offices, signed the recall petition.  I fully support transparency for elected officials, but if we are going to point out those who signed, it would be only fair to point out those who did not sign because either decision was made by choice.  And if it was a choice, we can figure that council and school board members and candidates not mentioned in the letter did not sign the petition and thus implicitly made a political statement of supporting Scott Walker's policies.  After all, saying that it is not the role of a non-partisan office holder to sign a petition is merely an excuse because since your local community will be impacted by the policy of the person being recalled, you either support this person being recalled or you support their policies.  Seems pretty simple.

With that in mind, is providing this kind of information for the voters helpful or is it simply divisive?  After all, signing a petition to recall Scott Walker is a lousy predictor of whether this person will support putting a sidewalk in front of your house, or support allowing liquor sales at the ice arena.

I hope that the Gazette, Leader-Telegram and every other news outlet in our great state, think about the implication of local elected officials signing a petition and scale back their rhetoric before more damage is done to good people who are simply doing their best to serve.  

Welcoming Rick Santorum with open arms: disservice to our community?

In Wisconsin, we never get past the political season anymore.  Tomorrow night here in Janesville, we get the first taste of the GOP Primary battle, as Rick Santorum rolls into town for a rally.  In other years, some people would go - perhaps out of desire to support a candidate they like, or simply out of curiosity to take a look at a Presidential contender - but not this year.  We are now used to expressing our opinions strongly and publicly: if we like something, we profess the liking for it on Facebook, with buttons, bumper stickers, yard signs, and if we oppose something, we put our creativity to work, get signs made up, put on our warm clothes, and we go protest.  I, for one, think that's great.

It is a sign of a vibrant democracy, when people feel strongly enough about an issue, and safe enough to go outside, join together in groups, and raise our voices in support or in opposition.  In fact, our country was founded on protests and thus it seems pretty clear to me that protests are as American as Apple Pie.  

Over the last few months, I have been watching people of Russia attempting to protest what really was the inevitable election of Vladimir Putin back to the throne of Russian Presidency.  What really caught my attention were videos of people saying that now, for the first time ever, they feel proud to live in Russia.  I have never heard that before from people who were not on the government's payroll.  In other words, it took an action of protest, for people to become proud of where they live.  In the last year, as Wisconsin became ground zero for political upheaval, I have seen the same uplifting effect of democracy in action take place here.  Not only did people become engaged in the political process and gained fellowship of new friends, but we have become proud of being from Wisconsin, like never before.  No longer are we just the land of cheese, beer, brats and Packers.  We have become the beacon of democracy!    

Some have said that by protesting presidential candidates or even our own governor, we are not putting our best foot forward, and instead of holding signs of protest, we should be welcoming all people into our community because that would encourage businesses and individuals to relocate to our great community.  I disagree with that logic for several reasons.  

Yes, we need to show ourselves at our best, but our best is to show how much we care about our community.  We care enough to go out into the cold or hot weather, and respectfully stand for what we believe.  To take the approach that we will change who we are in order to attract businesses has not worked for Governor Walker and it's not going to work for Janesville.  

I will also provide one simple example to illustrate the false nature of such "business-friendly" approach: I met Dr. Greg Piefer, the founder of SHINE Medical, for the very first time, last year at the Forward Janesville annual dinner that featured a speech by Governor Scott Walker.  As you may recall, there were about 1,500 people outside protesting loudly and forcefully.  Did that change SHINE's mind about relocating to Janesville? Clearly, the answer is no.  

We need to show our best face to the world and to the national media, but we need to be honest about how we feel, and count on the fact that reasonable people watching will agree with us.  Counting on the fact that there are more people who are reasonable than not has been the guiding principle of my public service and after four years on the council, I feel it has a certain amount of merit.  Besides, if we are to show our most friendly face to Rick Santorum and make people think that Janesville likes Rick Santorum, I would think that it would actually harm the image of our community.  Let's be honest, Rick Santorum will not even win the Republican nomination, let alone the presidency.  One reason for that could be that most people do not like him.  And as Martha Stewart would say, that's a good thing.

There is one more point that needs to be made:  protests must be respectful and they must be peaceful.  We have every right to express our opinion, but we need to remember that we are doing it to show what we stand for to the speaker - in this case, Rick Santorum - and we have every right to show to the national media and those following the news state and nationwide, what Janesville stands for or against.  But when the circus leaves, we must be able to get back to business, and if instead we are going to be busy blaming each other for either going to see Rick Santorum or for being rude and disrespectful to those who went to see him speak, then that is when we can do harm to the fabric of our community, and it would be most unfortunate.

Regardless of whether you are going go and see Rick Santorum re-arrange the chairs on his Titanic of a campaign as it is headed for the iceberg of reality, or if you are planning on being out there in the cold, with protest signs, I urge you to be respectful to each other because when Rick Santorum is gone, Janesville and all of us will still be here and how we respond to these challenges of civil discourse says a lot about who we are.  I am proud of living in Janesville and I want all of us to be proud of how we have handled these difficult times, when they eventually pass, as they inevitably will.  

Thank you, Janesville!

Four years ago, Janesville voters gave me the incredible opportunity to serve our community on the City Council.  For a kid from Moscow, Russia, who came to the United States in 1988, as a refugee, without speaking a word of English, I am a very lucky man.  I also hope that in today's world, where getting ahead is hard and sometimes seems to be only getting harder, I can inspire and give hope to others.  I want people to know it is still possible to achieve the American dream through hard work and caring about helping those around you.

As my four years of service are winding down, I want to extend my sincere and heartfelt gratitude to Janesville voters for allowing me to make a positive difference in our community by serving on the council.  During the last four years, I have learned much about Janesville, supported and stood up for things that were important to our community, and worked to bring more jobs to Janesville, while protecting the taxpayers.

During the past 4 years, our community has been dealt many difficult challenges but I know that the future of Janesville is bright and full of promise.  We have a great location and workforce that will ensure our success in the future.  What we need is state government that is transparent and accountable, that works together with our communities to help us preserve services we provide to our residents at a reasonable cost.  State government that cares about protecting women's rights, and making sure that our children get quality education. State government that cares about protecting the environment and about helping our local businesses develop and grow.  State government that respects Wisconsin residents.    

I hope that you will join me this Tuesday, March 27 from 6 until 8 pm at the Speakeasy on the Janesville Mile to celebrate four years of service, and to help me continue my service to our community as the Assembly Representative for the 44th District.  I believe that I have the right experience, both on and off the council to bring a bigger perspective to our State Assembly.  We need the person representing our community in Madison to have the courage to stand up for Janesville and to look for new solutions, to have the right experience, and to be someone we can trust to be responsive and transparent.  I believe that I am that person and I am asking for your support!

If you are not able to be with us at Speakeasy, please consider contributing to the campaign using this link:  https://secure.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/27978  

Farrell, Murray, Smillie and Southers for City Council

Congratulations to everyone who is running for a seat on the Janesville City Council.  One of the things I learned about being on the council is that most people should be given an opportunity to serve community at some point in some way.  While only 4 out of 9 candidates are going to get to serve our community on the council, I hope that the rest will find other ways in which to contribute.

I also want to thank each of the 9 candidates for stepping up and for putting themselves for the kind of public scrutiny that comes with running for office and then serving.  When I was weighing, whether to run for a third term on the council or not, I knew that whenever the time for me to step down would come, good people would fill my spot.  I was right.

Looking at the field of candidates, I see 4 good choices, which I would like to share with you.  Having served on the council for 4 years, I feel that the following individuals will make great members of Janesville City Council and therefore I am endorsing the following 4 individuals in the upcoming April 3rd election.  They are listed alphabetically.

Jim Farrell.  I got to know Jim throughout this campaign and I have been impressed with his dedication to doing research and to transparency in government.  I have seen Jim reach out to current council members to learn about issues, I have seen him speak to the council, and in each of those interactions, his thoughtfulness, and lack of rush to judgment showed me that this is exactly the kind of person we need to have on the council.

Andy Murray.  I have known Andy for several years and I have watched him throughout this campaign to see how he would handle its unique challenges.  In my experience, not only is Andy a quick learner and an effective communicator, but he also has the right priorities.  He has demonstrated his respect for city employees, which is important because listening to those already working within the organization is vital.

Angela Smillie.  Angela brings her background of serving on the Alcohol Licensing Advisory Committee (ALAC) and working as a parole officer for Rock County.  She is interested in finding solutions, and in getting people to work together.  Those qualities are extremely important.  She also has great energy is excellent leadership skills.  

Mike Southers.  Mike is a thoughtful and reasonable person who is willing to think through most ideas, and to be open minded in how he makes his decisions.  Mike has undergraduate degree in business and works for county government.  This combination is going to ensure that Mike has the well-rounded background that will serve our community well.

I urge you to join me in voting for Jim, Andy, Angela and Mike for Janesville City Council on April 3rd!

Yuri Rashkin