Marshall inspired to run for city council seat

Army vet leaves sidelines to work for positive change on city council.

Bernie Sanders is still having an impact on elections.  Maybe not directly, but the Vermont senator’s run for president has at least inspired one local guy to also work to make change in his world.  

David Marshall is doing that with a run for a seat on the La Crosse city council.  

Marshall has inspired to work for change by Bernie Sanders and his wife who told Marshall he needed to stop complaining and start working to enact the positive impacts he wanted to see.

Not that he wants to remake La Crosse.

“This is a great city,” he said, ” there’s a lot of good direction in this city and we’re going places; we’re definitely going in the right direction.” 

 And Marshall is hesitant to criticize his opponent in the race, long time incumbent, Bob Seaquist.

“I like Bob.  He’s a good city council member.”  But Marshall believes he can do better.

 Marshall believes his experiences–among them, a former police officer and the senior budget and policy director for the city of Atlanta–make him well qualified to help make things just a bit better in the city.  

Marshall has also served in the military for 34 years and teaches military intelligence courses for the Department of Defense.  

Among the issues Marshall cites as most important to address for the city are public safety. He says efforts are needed to deal with crime associated with rising heroin and meth use.

Marhsall also said transportion planning is high on his list of priorities.  He believes motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists can commute in harmony with everyone getting what they need.

“It doesn’t have to be a zero some game,” he said.

The Marshall v. Seaquist races is one of only five out of 13 contested council races on the ballot next Tuesday.