Mathias Harter

Mathias William Harter
The mayor at city hall
41st Mayor of La Crosse, Wisconsin
Incumbent
Assumed office April 21, 2009
Preceded by	Mark Johnsrud
Personal details
Born	November 17, 1984
Nationality	American

Mathias "Matt" William Harter (born November 17, 1984) is the current and 41st mayor of La Crosse, Wisconsin. He took office at the age of 24, making him the youngest mayor in the history of La Crosse, as well as one of the youngest mayors in the United States.

Background

Born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Harter graduated from Luther High School and went to the Minnesota State University, Mankato. Harter also served in the United States Navy. He worked in his family's garbage disposal company.^[1]

Mayor of La Crosse

Harter won the 2009 mayoral election over Dorothy Lenard, with 6,831 votes over Lenard's 5,505. After the election, Lenard was quoted by the La Crosse Tribune as saying "If you run a campaign and you try to win it by misinformation and false accusations, I don't know how you can enjoy the win...if you're going to go to doors and tell lies, you're going to win the election. The difference in the candidates is I'm an adult with responsibilities and a job to live up to. Matt was paid by his family to go out and campaign, and that's a luxury I didn't have.^[2]

Harter campaigned on the need for more fiscal responsibility and control of city spending, and promised to maintain a stable tax levy while assessing municipal needs. After being elected, he required some departments to explain their requests for both hiring more employees while also increasing overtime hours. The tax levy did remain stable in 2009 and 2010, and city developments, both downtown and on the north side, progressed. He also called for city employees living outside the city limits to consider relocating within La Crosse.^{[citation needed]}

Controversies

During the week of November 16, 2009, a story broke about Harter's idea to convert the entire force of 95 firefighters into an all volunteer Fire Department in two years. This set off major backlash from city unions, particularly the firefighters union, and was a major discussion point across the region.^[3] During the same week, a local rock station released a calendar featuring women in suggestive clothing and positions, which included a picture of the radio disc jockeys with Harter in the mayor's office. The commercial for this calendar featured Harter stating, "I'm Mayor Matt Harter, and I approve this calendar." Harter was criticized for abusing the office of the Mayor and for promoting the exploitation of women. Harter denied knowing about the suggestive content in the calendar.^[4]

In July 2010, a Madison law firm released a legal opinion finding that Harter violated ethics codes and may have broken criminal laws by bringing his father, the owner of a large local garbage disposal company, to a private meeting in February 2010 with the La Crosse county solid waste director, to discuss whether the county should pursue increasing its waste collection and recycling role, a decision that might reduce demand for services offered by the Harter family business.^[5]

In November 2010, the La Crosse Tribune obtained an ethics complaint which was filed with the city's Ethics Board by 45 residents in September.^[6]

In January 2011, the Tribune reported that the La Crosse Ethics Board ruled that Mayor Matt Harter committed a serious ethics violation when he brought his father with him to lobby a county solid waste official against a study that could affect the family business. The board concluded the mayor did not violate requirements he disclose his interest in legislation before the council or the Board of Public Works. It recommended no further discipline, fine, sanction or censure against Harter, stating that, given his lack of political experience or previous misconduct, the public hearing and its own ruling are reprimand enough.^{[citation needed]}

Notes

1. ^ Mayor Harter, City of La Crosse
2. ^ http://media.www.theracquet.net/media/storage/paper978/news/2009/04/08/News/Matt-Harter.Wins.La.Crosse.Mayoral.Race-3701058.shtml#5
3. ^ http://www.lacrossetribune.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_fd950a14-d408-11de-accf-001cc4c002e0.html
4. ^ http://www.lacrossetribune.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_63b4a56c-d0d9-11de-a005-001cc4c002e0.html
5. ^ http://www.wxow.com/Global/story.asp?S=12896136
6. ^ http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/article_b6c6d588-e95e-11df-823d-001cc4c002e0.html

Persondata
Name	Harter, Mathias
Alternative names
Short description	American politician
Date of birth	November 17, 1984
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death