Both of the candidates running in the April 4, 2023, general election for Madison Common Council District 3 — Matt Van Eperen (nonpartisan) and Derek Field (nonpartisan) — completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office.
Here are the candidates’ responses to the question: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
“Housing Affordability / Security. As our city (and county) continue to grow, we need to ensure that there is sufficient housing inventory and that such inventory is affordable. Currently, Madison is facing a crisis as there is low total housing inventory, and affordable housing is even more scarce. We need to ensure folks that want to live here can.
Public Safety / Justice. While Madison is generally ranked high on the safest places to live, that does not mean we shouldn’t focus on criminal behavior or the underlying factors that put public safety at risk. We need to build trust and engagement between community and law enforcement, ridding the city of bad policing tactics but ensuring that law enforcement has the tools it needs to work with the community towards the goal of safety. We also need to examine underlying causes of crime (e.g. mental health, food security) and other non-criminal public safety risks (e.g. transportation, environment).
Economic & Social Mobility / Equity. We need to support good jobs at fair wages. We need to ensure equitable access by small businesses to the resources it may need to grow, and remove barriers to small business growth. The city’s budget should reflect diverse needs and not create further disparities between folks in our community.”
“Madison is experiencing a housing crisis that we all feel impacting our household budgets. The supply of homes and apartments doesn’t meet the demand for housing, pushing prices far too high, far too quickly. I support responsible development and zoning tools that will bring more housing options to Madison – including options at lower price points.
Public trust in the safety of our water supply is essential. With PFAS and other contaminants being found in our public wells, we must be diligent in adding treatment systems and other infrastructure upgrades that protect the health and safety of our drinking water supply. We cannot afford to take this essential natural resource for granted.
Residents around the district are increasingly concerned about traffic safety where we see high speeds and dangerous driving behavior on our main roads through Far East Side neighborhoods. I support measures that will slow these drivers down, including traffic safety improvements like radar speed signs, redesigned intersections, and speed bumps. Our neighborhood roads must be safe for pedestrians, bikers, and drivers.”
Click on the candidates’ profile pages below to read their full responses to this and other questions.
We ask all federal, state, and local candidates with profiles on Ballotpedia to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Ask the candidates in your area to fill out the survey.
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