Q: How will the Chamber become policy proactive?
A: After one year on the City Council, in 2004, Mark Bugher (then chairman of the city’s economic development commission) and I initiated a report on how to make Madison more business-friendly. I think we’re at that point again….Madison is an under-performing city, based on its potential. It’s about the right leaders, the right vision. There’s a significant overhaul in our leadership system now, with a new school superintendent, UW-Madison chancellor, U.S. senator and U.S. representative coming in and a new leader of Thrive (the eight-county regional economic development organization). People are not entrenched; they will be willing to think differently.