Surf Cat

Now that we’re into a new year, the Kenosha News editorial board will start off by sharing some of our ideas of what we’d like to see happen in 2020. Maybe you have similar thoughts, or want to dispute ours. Send us a Voice of the People letter to keep the conversation going.

We’d like to see the following happen in 2020:

Voter participation that goes through the roof in Kenosha County. Forget all the previous marks, let’s see everyone who is eligible go to the polls. You’ll have four chances this year, with April’s election featuring many. many local races as well as the presidential primary, and November featuring the presidential election. Wisconsin is projected to be among a handful of states that decide the race to the White House. We hope to see everyone eligible cast ballots.

A Downtown Vision plan that says on track. It’s amazing and it will transform Kenosha, and we’d like to see the Brindisi Towers construction proceed as planned and other development announced at the proper time. It’s not your grandfather’s Kenosha, you know. We also hope to see Herzing University proceed with intentions to move into the former Kenosha News building. It will be a big boost for downtown.

Along with the Downtown Vision plan, momentum toward recruiting a grocery store downtown. There are big plans for many more people living downtown, and with those plans there has to be movement toward getting an urban grocer. As we’ve noted in editorials, it’s likely to require a grocer willing to take a risk, as well as shoppers willing to pay a little more for convenience. But there should be movement toward this to fit in the Downtown Vision.

Real discussions toward expanding Kenosha’s tourism draw by featuring and promoting a lifeguard-protected beach. We introduced this idea in an editorial after the highly successful Tall Ships Festival in Kenosha, and many readers agreed. We should build on that success and provide a beach for tourists who come here for the bustling HarborMarket, our museums and so many other activities during the summer. It’s time to think bigger and grow tourism in Kenosha County.

More housing inventory and particularly more affordable housing on the market. Month after month we publish real estate round ups that report sales slightly up or down but consistently say there is very little on the market. Prices are shooting up, a boon for homeowners, but we need more housing to match job growth that is coming our way. Let’s see 2020 be the year that inventory starts to improve and features more affordable options.

Attention in Madison to our property tax situation. We don’t have to tell you that your property taxes have been increasing, and the statewide increase this past year was the highest in a decade, according to a report. Relief is needed, and we were pleased to hear Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald say that Republican lawmakers are eyeing legislation to help reduce property tax bills. This should be a bipartisan effort and a priority in the new year.

Road projects that stay on track, particularly in the city. There’s an ambitious plan in place but there are many, many needs. That said, what we really would like to see is agreement in Madison for sustaining road funding moving forward in Wisconsin. Other states have done it and Gov. Tony Evers campaigned on it; now it’s time for Republicans and Democrats to agree on key funding boosts needed and approve a plan in 2020.

We’ll keep our eye on these topics and of course others as 2020 progresses. Let’s have a Happy New Year and then get to work.