RACINE, Wis. (WRJN) – In a wide-ranging, candid interview on The Don Rosen Show on WRJN-AM, 6th District Alderman Sandy Weidner touched on various local topics, including neighborhood revitalization efforts, the city’s Civic Center, and her long-running battle for government transparency.  Weidner, who was re-elected in April 2024 after previously serving 10 terms from 2000 to 2020, expressed her desire to restore the balance of power between the city council and the mayor’s office, and said the current Mayor is all about retribution.  

Mayoral Retribution

Weidner said her past mayoral candidacies against current Mayor Cory Mason have led to what she perceives as punitive committee assignments. “I ran for mayor in 2017, then as a write-in candidate in 2019 against the current mayor. And the current mayor is all about retribution,” Weidner stated. “Three years in a row, I asked him not to appoint me to a particular standing committee and requested different committees that serve the city. Whichever committee I asked not to be on, that’s the one I get assigned to.”

Transparency Battles and Government Watchdog Group

A significant portion of the interview focused on Weidner’s long-running legal battle with the City of Racine over access to her own emails. The case, known as Sandy Weidner v. City of Racine, stemmed from her request for a copy of a PowerPoint presentation containing her emails, which was initially denied by the city attorney.  The ensuing six-year legal battle, which included gag orders and closed court proceedings, ultimately resulted in a resolution in Weidner’s favor after multiple appeals. This experience prompted the formation of the “HOT Government” (Honest, Open, and Transparent Government) watchdog group in 2018-2019, which Weidner is involved with.  “So that caused a court case that went on for six years. So, back in the very beginning of that case, a group of individuals got together and formed this government watchdog group called Hot Government. And we’ve been involved in a lot of topics since then,” Weidner explained.

Neighborhood Revitalization Efforts

One of the issues discussed was the city’s Tax Incremental District (TID) program, which aims to provide grants and loans for home repairs and enhancements in designated neighborhoods. Weidner encouraged residents to explore the “Build Up Racine” website and apply for these funds, which are sourced from property taxes within the TID districts rather than traditional community development block grants. “Rather than it be CDBG money, it’s now coming strictly from the property taxes that you pay in your TID district,” Weidner explained, noting that the program is open to homeowners of single-family homes or duplexes where they reside.

Civic Center Management Change

Weidner also expressed optimism about the recent change in management at the city’s Civic Center and Memorial Hall, which had previously been overseen by Venueworks. She criticized the lack of oversight from the Civic Center Commission, which hasn’t met since 2019, and called for better partnership between the city and the new contractor, 5K.  “We have to partner better with the contractor than we have in the past,” Weidner stated, emphasizing the need for improved collaboration to enhance events and facilities. The 4 th District Alderman said she hopes the Racine Rotary Prom Event can return to downtown. Other events, like Salmon-A-Rama are coming back.

Restoring Council Authority

Weidner told host Don Rosen about her desire to restore the balance of power between the city council and the mayor’s office. She said the shift from Racine’s traditional “strong council, weak mayor” form of government was not a good one. “We went from being a strong council, weak mayor form of government. The council agreed to changes requested by the mayor, changing our ordinance that gave all the authority to the mayor and absolved the council of their responsibilities and authority,” Weidner explained. However, she noted a growing sentiment among council members, both new and returning, to revert to the previous system, where the council played a more significant role in governing the city

The full interview can be heard below.