Turner also answered the first question raised when word of his candidacy arose: would he attempt to hold both the mayor's job and his seat in the State Assembly. The answer is no -- he will resign from the Legislature if elected mayor. He also will do away with the city administrator's position -- now vacant since Ben Hughes' resignation last week.Turner issued a statement Sunday afternoon saying:
“I am committed to the job of mayor. If the people of Racine choose me to serve as their mayor, I will resign my position in the state assembly as soon as the state budget is passed.
“We are in extremely tough economic times. All of us have had to tighten our belts, and city government should be no exception. This is not the time to retain management positions that we can do without. With my years of experience as alderman and finance chair and my experience in state government, I will be able to serve as mayor without a city administrator.
“I am ready and dedicated to continue to serve Racine and help restore credibility and integrity to the mayor’s office”, he said.
Turner, 61, was elected to the 61st State Assembly District in 1990. He is a Vietnam Veteran, a 33rd degree Mason, and was a member of Racine’s City Council from 1976 to 2004. He graduated from UW – Parkside with a B.S. in business administration. Turner and his Gloria have three children.
The civil war in the Democratic Party will be so much fun to watch! Better then TV!
ReplyDeleteThis will be an interesting primary to see who the top two candidates will be. Turner could turn out to be a very good mayor. He certainly has the connections to help Racine. Would he be more of the same, tho? I am looking forward to seeing where he stands on the issues. I am glad that he said he wouldn't hold both jobs if he was elected mayor. We need a full time mayor. Not sure if we also need a city administrator. There are a lot of people who would like to see Robert Turner be our next mayor because they believe he could turn things around.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree about this mayoral race becoming interesting. Robert is a good guy and can get things done. These candidates better get out there and make their voices heard now. I can't wait for the mayoral forum. It will be smoking hot!
ReplyDeleteI hope the Fire Department will be at the Mayoral forum to cool down the fires. Between Jody Harding and her "views" and the many Democratic candidates, it will be one hot night. Maybe the police should be there to, to offer Jody some protection from her idiotic views on people on assistance and their voting rights.
ReplyDeleteI hear John Dickert is going to run. I guess we'll have to wait and see if he files papers. I just wonder why these people didn't run against Becker during the last election.
ReplyDeleteIf John Dickert runs I am definately going to vote for him. From what I know of the other candidates he is the only one with the type of business experience and government experience to combine the two into what the mayors job has become. It is necessary to have someone who can travel both paths at the same time and John can do it, he's a leader and an achiever, not just another seat warmer.
ReplyDeleteLook at the years he served. He was on council while the city went downhill!
ReplyDeleteNot really sticking his neck out here... easy to run for an elected position when you have another decent paying one to fall back on if you lose.
ReplyDeletewho is john dickert?
ReplyDeleteWith all due respect, Rep. Turner hasn't been a particularly dynamic (or, one could argue, effective) legislator. Further, he hasn't demonstrated any administrative ability to speak of.
ReplyDeleteGiven the huge slate of candidates, it's unlikely that he'll make much headway in the primary. In local politics, name recognition will only take you so far. You have to work and work hard!
Finally, I'm not the only one who has noticed that NOBODY had the wherewithal to challenge Gary Becker in the last mayoral election, yet they are coming out of the woodwork when it's an open seat. That says a lot about the quality of local leadership, IMHO.
"Stopthemadnessnow" is right on when he says "Finally, I'm not the only one who has noticed that NOBODY had the wherewithal to challenge Gary Becker in the last mayoral election, yet they are coming out of the woodwork when it's an open seat. That says a lot about the quality of local leadership, IMHO."
ReplyDeleteI agree with you a million times over!!!! Just WHERE were these aldermen two years ago during mayoral election time????
Also here, who is John Dickert? Shouldn't someone be a little known when they run for mayor??????
ReplyDeleteI know John Dickert, but there are others running I have no idea who they are. No I don't think someone needs to be "known" before they run. Maybe it would be a refreshing change to be "unknown" actually.
ReplyDeleteJohn Dickert = Garry Becker
ReplyDeleteNo Colt, I know John Dickert enough to know he does not = Gary Becker. In the past they were close and Dickert helped Becker on his campaign, but that was then. I don't think those two have seen eye to eye since Becker was elected.
ReplyDeleteJohn Dickert - now there's a refreshing name. He brought the developer to town to do Riverbend Lofts. He also has been involved downtown and with various other things to try and move the city forward. I am not sure of all he has done but it seems I see him everywhere and always doing something. He might actually be a do'er rather than a talker. I'd like to know more about him.
ReplyDeleteCOLT - YOU ARE SO NEGATIVE - DO YOU APPROVE OF ANYBODY? OH YEAH, I FORGOT, YOU LIKE JODY HARDING (THE ONE WHO WANTS TO TAKE AWAY YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE)COLT, HAVE YOU EVER HAD PUBLIC ASSISTANCE OR ARE YOU OR YOUR FAMILY ON IT NOW? IF SO I WOULD VERY WORRIED ABOUT THAT ONE YOU ARE GUSHING OVER. WHY DON'T YOU RUN FOR MAYOR? AFTER ALL YOU SEEM TO KNOW SO MUCH.
ReplyDeleteJohn Dickert is thinking of running for mayor? Great! Finally someone with private sector experience. Racine needs new ideas, not the same old ideas from the same old people.
ReplyDelete8:55
ReplyDeleteYou should read my posts I like in no order
Q.A
Turner
Pete K **
Kim **
My Stand on Voting is in line of The Book Starship Troopers You have to serve in some way to be able to vote. Say the Army -Peace Corps- Vista etc.
As for John Dickert Still think he = Mayor Becker. I also see he has a spin going. Can we get the spin on the John Dickert/Turner race back in the day?
** Fav
No Colt - Gary Becker and John Dickert went separate ways years ago.
ReplyDeleteI stand corrected. Where can I get more information? Still makes a great civil war in the Dems
ReplyDeleteInterested in the Stand on:
The Black Hole called KRM
The City Grant person
Police Protection
I will not vote for anyone who supports the city administrator position. Not sure about the grant writer, has there been any news on what she's accomplished so far?
ReplyDeleteOk...Turner has done NOTHING in Madison to improve the quality of life here, nothing. So lets move on from Turner...He is a nice guy but will not be effective for Racine at all.
ReplyDeleteI see John Dickert downtown all the time. He has several buildings that he has listed for sale. I've seen him shoveling snow for the building owners. I think this is not only John being kind to the seller of the building, but very considerate to the pedestrians who frequent downtown. To me, John is a great candidate for public service.
ReplyDeleteColt...didn't we all, or at least a majority of us, support Gary Becker? While he left office before he completed all that we wanted him to, his demise was not the office he held, it was a personal problem. Yes, I want a stronger city than what we have now. Yes I want our next leader to be better than the last. Anyone who worked with Gary to develop something new isn't necessarily a bad person. Gary held the seat of mayor and other natural leaders have to work with the person in that position. There is a difference between going along with everything Mayor Becker wanted and working with the mayor to achieve something better.
ReplyDeleteJohn Dickert filed his papers to run in the special election.
ReplyDelete2:49 your right at one time as we all know I was a hard core Becker guy.
ReplyDeleteThen with everything from the try to sell Dekoven woods to the City Administrator the Uptown Project the not wanting to hire Police (and what Councilman was lock step on that one?) My eyes were opened.
My issue with those who backed Becker it is with them who backed Becker as Racine burned and still is.
Now what one of the group will free us from Becker's good old boys?
Turner is not effective in Madison. He just follows Lehman around. You can count on him to do nothing. He does not repesent anyone but union members. The city needs bright thinkers. He doesn't think, past what the union wants.
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