City council president’s stance on not politicizing his chamber being challenged again

Last month a climate change resolution sparked debate over politics

Looks like La Crosse city council president Martin Gaul’s stance on the council avoiding political issues will be challenged again.

His theory in a nutshell: “Our primary focus is the business of this city,” Gaul said.

That was Gaul earlier this month in relation to a resolution on global climate change. He said issues of a political nature are distracting and divisive.

“I think it’s of the utmost importance in these highly politicized times that we live in, to do everything that we can as a body, to avoid bringing that atmosphere into this chamber,” he added.

More of the same kind of issues are headed to the council for consideration next month.

One is a resolution that has the city council insisting on a non-partisan way to redraw legislative boundaries, which would be sent to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

Another comes from a group calling on the council to support passage of an amendment to the Constitution that would, in its words, “reclaim democracy from the … corrupting influence of unregulated political contributions and spending.”

It’s a provision (more here) that essentially calls for getting big money out of politics, that has been passed by 750 local governments, over 100 in Wisconsin, and 19 states.