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La Crosse mayor candidate Vicki Markussen talks homelessness, housing, and city administrator proposal

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Vicki Markussen in the WIZM studio for La Crosse Talk on Jan. 22, 2025.

Vicki Markussen in the WIZM studio Wednesday for La Crosse Talk to discuss her priorities in running for La Crosse mayor, including homelessness, housing challenges, and the potential city administrator hire.


La Crosse Talk airs weekdays at 6-8 a.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Find all the podcasts here or subscribe to La Crosse Talk wherever you get your podcasts.


We started the conversation by reflecting on what she learned from running four years ago and what her experience will bring to the office.

We then discussed the ongoing challenges of homelessness and affordable housing, along with the city’s market in general — both rentals and homeownership.

Markussen also weighed in on the La Crosse City Council’s upcoming decision on whether to hire a city administrator, discussing her stance on the proposal.

Markussen is one of four candidates vying for mayor, alongside Shaundel Washington-Spivey, Ellie McLoone, and Chris Kahlow.

Host of WIZM's La Crosse Talk PM | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point graduate | Hometown: Greenville, Wis | Avid noonball basketball player and sand volleyballer in La Crosse

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3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. R Head

    January 23, 2025 at 8:57 am

    She sounds like Mitch 2.0

  2. Bob N.

    January 23, 2025 at 12:12 pm

    Ms. Markussen now comes out supporting the City Administrator trial balloon offered first by departing Mayor Reynolds. ( Now that he’s leaving, Reynolds favors raising your taxes on a daily basis with a city sales tax as well as creating a new top gun position with a price tag of about 400 thousand dollars a year when all expenses are added up.)
    Markussen would have the Mayor’s job consisting of basic hand-shaking and “howz it goin” duties as the visible “man-about-town” ( woman in this case.) Still a paid position.

    Her background in social work (We need other one elected?) comes through when asked about the endless “homeless problem>’ Markussen says the social agencies need “concentrated conversations” on co-ordinating their efforts. Sounds like a Word Salad.
    Always funny to hear the host refer to the Mayor as “Mitch” and not “Mayor Reynolds”. ‘Ol Buds, those two. I think our young people need to watch the formality and pageantry of Monday’s Inaugural Ceremony to understand why properly addressing people and deferring to their rank and title speaks volumes about their understanding of protocol.

    • Sam

      January 26, 2025 at 12:45 pm

      I never really considered Mitch to be much of a journalist, talk show host or mayo. On La Crosse Talk PM he did raise some important issue from time to time. He also trashed conservative callers. As mayor he was in over his head.

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