Pure Madnesson
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Monday, January 16, 2006
Inclusionary Zoning Homes Tagged Over Weekend
Madison police have arrested Phil Salkin, lobbyist for the Wisconsin Realtors Association, and are charging him with 52 counts of criminal damage to property after he went on a weekend grafitti spree. Officer Mike Hanson of the Madison Police Department said officers spent most of Sunday hot on the trail of the grafitti artist.
According to Hanson, "The department's first clue was the fact that all of the buildings tagged were homes built under Madison's Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance. Salkin used red spray paint to create unflattering pictures of Mayor Cieslewicz and various City Council members on the side of each building. We suspected the tagger might have been a developer who was unhappy with having to create affordable housing." The real clue came a little later, though, when Salkin was pulled over for speeding near the new Hilldale Row development. Police noticed red paint all over his clothing, and the back of his SUV was stacked floor to ceiling with empty spray paint cans.
Salkin was arrested late Sunday and released on $2000 bond on Monday. He may not have possession of spray paint or enter a hardware store that sells paint as conditions of his release. Asked why he did it, Salkin answered, "I figured that if I could make the Inclusionary Zoning units unsellable, maybe the ordinance repeal would pass. I was also making a statement with my artistic portrayals of the Mayor and others. It's what the kids these days call 'Civil Disobedience.'"
Rick Petri, a fellow lobbyist who will serve as Salkin's attorney in this matter, said that Salkin will likely enter a guilty by reason of insanity plea. According to Petri, "The pressure has been too much on Phil. Jed Sanborn proposed repeal of IZ and Phil got all excited. Then the mayor and Brenda Konkel announced proposed ordinance improvements, and 2 of Jed's cosponsors pulled their names off repeal. It's been quite a rollercoaster ride, and Phil appears to have just cracked under the pressure." It is unlikely that Salkin will serve any jail time, as he has no previous record. Petri suggests that he will ask for a sentence of community service with an affordable housing program and ongoing mental health treatment.
While charges are pending, Salkin will continue his work for the Wisconsin Realtors Association. He plans to attend the Common Council meeting tomorrow to speak at the public hearing on Inclusionary Zoning. Salkin claims he is not embarrassed by his own actions and will have no problem speaking in front of the mayor and the alderpeople who he mocked in his portraits. "It's really an issue of free expression," he adds.
According to Hanson, "The department's first clue was the fact that all of the buildings tagged were homes built under Madison's Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance. Salkin used red spray paint to create unflattering pictures of Mayor Cieslewicz and various City Council members on the side of each building. We suspected the tagger might have been a developer who was unhappy with having to create affordable housing." The real clue came a little later, though, when Salkin was pulled over for speeding near the new Hilldale Row development. Police noticed red paint all over his clothing, and the back of his SUV was stacked floor to ceiling with empty spray paint cans.
Salkin was arrested late Sunday and released on $2000 bond on Monday. He may not have possession of spray paint or enter a hardware store that sells paint as conditions of his release. Asked why he did it, Salkin answered, "I figured that if I could make the Inclusionary Zoning units unsellable, maybe the ordinance repeal would pass. I was also making a statement with my artistic portrayals of the Mayor and others. It's what the kids these days call 'Civil Disobedience.'"
Rick Petri, a fellow lobbyist who will serve as Salkin's attorney in this matter, said that Salkin will likely enter a guilty by reason of insanity plea. According to Petri, "The pressure has been too much on Phil. Jed Sanborn proposed repeal of IZ and Phil got all excited. Then the mayor and Brenda Konkel announced proposed ordinance improvements, and 2 of Jed's cosponsors pulled their names off repeal. It's been quite a rollercoaster ride, and Phil appears to have just cracked under the pressure." It is unlikely that Salkin will serve any jail time, as he has no previous record. Petri suggests that he will ask for a sentence of community service with an affordable housing program and ongoing mental health treatment.
While charges are pending, Salkin will continue his work for the Wisconsin Realtors Association. He plans to attend the Common Council meeting tomorrow to speak at the public hearing on Inclusionary Zoning. Salkin claims he is not embarrassed by his own actions and will have no problem speaking in front of the mayor and the alderpeople who he mocked in his portraits. "It's really an issue of free expression," he adds.
posted by Pure Madness<> # 10:55 PM 
