Did you know? IF Janesville had normal democratic alderman style city council representation instead of the gerry-rigged at-large system now in use, three and possibly up to five of the current seven members would likely not be in office. Here's why.
Janesville has about 24 populated wards so each of the seven seats (assuming the council is not expanded) would represent 3 or 4 congruent and demographically similar wards, etc.
Recently appointed Paul Benson (13th) and incumbent Richard Gruber (22nd) (also previously appointed) would likely be seated on the council according to the current ward map assuming they ran unopposed. But Sue Conley (12th), Doug Marklein (25th) and Tom Wolfe (27th) would have to face each other because their three wards of residence are demographically similar (Palmer Park area and just north). With alderman style elections, only one would serve on the council - not all three. I first thought Conley (12th) would face Benson (13th) in an election, but those two wards are not similar. The 13th is part of downtown, while Conley's 12th is Palmer Park.
That leaves us with the final two incumbents, Jim Farrell (17th) opposing Paul Williams (18th). Again only one would serve on the council, not both.
The added irony to this is the fact that Gruber was originally an appointee just like Benson. In a normal democracy, neither would hold a council seat unless duly elected. Gruber subsequently won election, but not before given the advantage of incumbency through appointment. Take away those two appointments and the entire city of Janesville is run by a few residents from Palmer Park and points near north.
In retrospect, only two of the current seven would hold office if Janesville had a city council system allowing candidates only through election from its neighborhoods to serve on the council.
That leaves us today with Wards 1 through 11, basically the entire west and south sides including the central core (13, 14 and 15th wards) of the city, with zero elected representation in city hall. Besides the obvious taxation without representation - it's a disgrace.
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