LETTER: Did mayor punish alderman for speaking out on issues?

To Ozaukee Press:

Ald. John Sigwart has been stripped of his city committee responsibilities by Mayor Ted Neitzke. Why hasn’t the mayor disclosed his motivation for such an egregious act? Why did the Common Council members vote for Ald. Sigwart’s committee replacements without any explanation?

Perhaps Ald. Sigwart’s freedom of speech is under attack for his position on recent issues confronting the city. It smacks of censorship by those who don’t agree with his stance on those issues.

  The mayor’s action impacts not only Ald. Sigwart, but also his constituents, the citizens who live in his district, Ward 7. They have been denied the representation they deserve on city committees.

The mayor’s action is chilling and disturbing in light of recent trends in our society. I call on all local officials to not shrink away from their responsibility to respect freedom of speech. All voices deserve to be heard in our public venues, regardless of one’s position on issues in their community.

The treatment of Ald. Sigwart demonstrates what happens when elected officials fail in their responsibility for open governance.

Barrett Genson

Port Washington