Letter to the editor

Students to choose representation

The University of Wisconsin River Falls is a part of Pierce County. As you may already know, on Feb. 19 there will be a series of presidential and local primaries. 

  The purpose of this letter is to inform the 90 percent student population of Pierce County District #6 just what your elected official thinks of the student body.

  Mr. Larson, the Pierce County Supervisor for District #6 does not deserve the support of the student body.

  I hope this letter will convince you of such.

  I attended a Pierce County meeting in Ellsworth, Wis. and during a brief recess I questioned Mr. Larson about a bond that would finance repairs and construction projects throughout the county.   

  Instead of providing me an itemized budget sheet, he looked me straight in the eye and said, “Why do you care about how the county spends it’s money; it’s not like you are a taxpayer.”

  Wrong, Mr. Larson, very wrong, indeed.  The 6,000 or so students here pay the .5 percent sales tax on goods and services in River Falls and Pierce County and we have the right to know how our money is being spent. 

  There is a large population of students that also live off-campus, who pay rent to property owners who in turn pay high property taxes.  We are an economic force, and we should be respected as such.

  I even provided him a chance to apologize for his rude comments, and when I asked for an apology, he again looked me straight in the eye and said, “Tough.”

  You know what, it’s going to be tough for you, Mr. Larson, when the student body mobilizes in support of our very own Nikki Shonoiki who is a student and will respectfully and accurately represent the influential student population in Pierce County.

  Elected officials largely ignore us because students historically do not vote.  It’s time to stand up and defend your interests by voting on Feb. 19.

Francis Allen Freeman
Junior