Kabat issues proclamation denouncing discrimination

Mayor acknowledges city's spotty history in welcoming people of diverse backgrounds, pledges to do better

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat is promising the city will do better when it comes to matters of diversity and discrimination.

He issued a proclamation Thursday, recognizing past mistakes that may have been made while also pledging to do better in the future to make sure the city of La Crosse is inclusive to people from many different backgrounds.

The mayor says listening sessions hosted by the Human Rights Commission helped open a lot of eyes to the issue.

“They’ve been very powerful, because they’ve given people an opportunity to voice their frustrations and in a lot of cases their pain, and out of that has grown this idea that we need to do better,” said Kabat.

The mayor says while Thursday’s proclamation was mostly symbolic, the Human Rights Commission will work on an action plan for city government as the next step.