I’m an outside observer in all this, not having lived in LG for some time, and I don’t have strong feelings for or against Bill or Speedo. But frankly, Speedo has by far been the classier actor in this melodrama. And that should be very scary to Chesen’s supporters.

Going by the state law, with the projected $280K in room tax, this would mean at least $196K would be spent on tourism promotion and development – more than double the $95K the city is allocating!

This is not a “gift” from the city, as the residents are not paying this tax. For the businesses in Lake Geneva that rely on travelers to spend money with them to keep them in the black financially, it should be a “no brainer” to invest in tourism promotion with the room tax money. It is only a shame that because Lake Geneva was grandfathered in when the law was passed, the city is not investing in attracting tourism dollars at the levels many other communities are.

Property tax and other fee-based income streams are intended to support services for city residents. Room tax revenue collected from travelers is designed to cover expenses in promoting tourism to an area, so that residents did not have to pay additionally for this. Residents already benefit by the tourism revenue generated to their community when an adequate amount is provided for tourism promotion.

It may be worthwhile for Lake Geneva to take a fresh look at how the room tax on travelers (again – not on residents) could be invested more in tourism promotion at a time when “Return on Investment” for area businesses is so critical.

When Mr. Chesen became Mayor he swore to uphold the Constitution, but he’s betrayed this oath by violating the underlying principles of the constitution when he suspended the 4 elected aldermen. Our Constitution is based on separation of powers, so no one branch of government can dominate the other branches, i.e. the Executive Branch is precluded from expelling the legislative representatives it may disagree with.

The system of checks and balances, the other bedrock principle of our Constitution, guarantees that no part of the government become too powerful.

In early August, Chesen complained to Regional News that he was astounded how little power the Mayor has in LG.

So Mr. Chesen, the opportunist that he is, took an archaic State Statute written in the 1850’s and applied it in a way it was never intended in order to seize power and suspend 4 members of the legislature, thus violating the very basis of the constitution he swore to uphold.

Proof of its violation is the fact that no other Mayor in the 160 years this statute has been on the books has ever used it this way. Over the years, I’m sure 1000’s of Mayors all over Wisconsin have licked their lips and thought about how they too could use this grossly flawed statute to get more power and ultimate control over their city government, and then annihilate their opposition; but all these Mayors, for the past 160 years, all had the good sense to realize such action would be an abuse of power and a violation of the constitution that they not only honor and respect, but have sworn to uphold .

The Editor of the Janesville Gazette said it correctly in his Sept 18th editorial “Chesen seems guilty of an excessive power play. He should do the right thing by taking a dose of humility and immediately reinstate the 4 aldermen.”

No, Mr. Chesen, either you have never read the constitution; don’t understand its principles; or it wasn’t part of Almeda University’s curriculum. But for your information, the Constitution is our Government’s foundational document to be used , not abused. Either way, Mr Chesen, you should not be the one to have the honor to proclaim Constitution Week in Lake Geneva.