This was my first time exploring any capitol building, but it was really beautiful! They offer free…read moretours so I joined in on one, and it was very informative. There were a lot of kids on the tour and the tour guide did a great job of explaining things for them. He also made a lot of jokes and was very friendly. The marble throughout the building is really pretty and cool to see. It's a lot of stairs but they do also have elevators. The observation deck at the top is definitely worth the climb also and offers a really pretty view of Madison.

While I do not spend much time in State Capital buildings, I would like to spend more time here, as…read morethe Wisconsin State Capital building is absolutely beautiful, a great space to learn about history, marvel at the intricate details of the stonework, look over Madison from the mezzanine level or take in the phenomenal artwork on the rotunda ceilings! The capital building is located in the heart of the city and is a perfect backdrop of any day, no matter the season. While great from the exterior, wandering around inside is way more fun. It is open to the public and free to roam, however you can get guided tours that get you access to the more restricted areas, including the floors. We wandered around for well over an hour and could have spent more time if we had more access. The mezzanine level was the best, as it allowed you to see lots of history as you made the circle indoors, then let you get every angle of Madison and the lake from the outdoor area. Parking is all public and street, so plan accordingly, but if you are staying anywhere in or near downtown, then you have easy access with a quick walk. Overall, the building is gorgeous and the staff were helpful from entry to exit. Lots to see, whether politics or history are your things, it is definitely worth a visit!

Madison is indeed fortunate to benefit from so talented a team as current City Clerk, Maribeth…read moreWitzel-Behl supervises. Maribeth really "gets" what her office needs to be all about, and that is very much providing the right kind and quantity and quality of customer service to the citizens of the City of Madison, as well as meeting the needs of government. While many people seem to think that the clerk is just about the management of elections, they do a WHOLE lot more than that. Perhaps most importantly, at least from my personal perspective, is the incredibly important role they play in arranging/scheduling the many dozens of public meetings held in the city by government committees, commissions, and boards, each month. These meetings must be properly and legally posted where the public can know what's happening, when, and where. Agendas must be prepared in advance and publicly posted. That is coordinated between the Clerk and the particular city department which manages the meeting of the committee in question. Those responsible for running the meetings must be familiar with state and local law, and how to properly conduct business, with an eye to being responsible to the public. I've served on Madison's Housing Committee, chaired the Commission on People with Disabilities, chaired the Martin Luther King Jr Humanitarian Award Committee, and been member and officer of the Equal Opportunities Commission and its Executive Committee. All of these citizen committees depend upon the clerk's office to get us into spaces where we can meet and be open to the public. I have also been an Election Officer for the city for more than 30 years, so I've interacted with the clerk's office on an intimate level for a long time. As I indicate above, we're lucky to have such a good group of people working under the supervision of such a great clerk. Kudos, Maribeth! As of this writing, 9 Nov 2016, you can get the current official voter registration as a fillable pdf at this URL: http://elections.wi.gov/sites/default/files/gab_forms/4/el_131_voter_registration_app_fillable_rev_2016__16117.pdf

I had no idea what I was doing, but the staff got me in and out within 10 minutes. They also…read morecorrectly pronounced my last name. A++ would try again.

Just Go (#42) We…read moredrove through Wisconsin from Chicago to Minnesota, making a few stops along the way. One of the things we like to do is stop and take a photo of the Welcome sign... this one took us on a little loop where we can stop safely and not on the side of the freeway. One of the most photographed and visited signs is this one just past the border with Illinois along I-94 right before hitting Pleasant Prairie/Kenosha. As we entered from Rockford just at the Beloit Travel Center there it is... the "Welcome to Wisconsin" sign. It is worth mentioning because they are pretty and not just a metal road sign. It is a wooden welcome sign in the shape of the state. We stopped at the first food place we saw... Culver's in Pleasant Prairie and ordered their Butterburger with a side of Cheese Curds. First time having both... we don't have a Culver's in California. We enjoyed their yummy burger and we liked the Cheese Curds too! When I think of Wisconsin I think of cheese and I think of this parody song by Eurythmics: "Sweet dreams are made of cheese Who am I to dis a Brie... " We drove to Downtown Milwaukee and across the impressive building of the Pabst Theater, along the Milwaukee River there he stood the larger-than-life -- Bronze Fonz... ahhh! These Days Are Ours... Happy Days. Who remembers? Finally, before leaving Wisconsin we made a "shortstop" (okay, bad pun) at the American Family Field at the Brewers Team Store. At the time of our visit the team was in Miami playing the Marlins in Game 2 of their three-game series so we were able to walk inside without the masses. In front were a couple of their MVP's, Hank Aaron and Robin "The Kid" Yount, and also Bob Uecker, Brewers icon & Baseball Hall of Famer... It was a quick visit but we're not done with Wisconsin yet and we will be back next year. Thank you, Great State of Wisconsin. As The Fonz would say... "Ayyyy" Review #3845

I spent time in Wisconsin for work, working at the Oshkosh Air Show in Oshkosh for a week! I'm a…read morehuge cheese fan so of course, I loved Wisconsin! Thank goodness work was in a giant tent (among numerous giant tents) with our booth having a free standing air conditioning unit because it was hot the summer we worked the Air Show! The air show is typically held the last week in July and is attended by over 600,000 people! Yeah, it's a huge event! Famous folks attend the air show including John Travolta, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, and numerous astronauts. Everyone I encountered was really nice in Wisconsin! It was fun to see the Green Bay Packard merchandise and the Cheesehead merchandise in the convenience stores! And the Wisconsin topography was peaceful and lovely! Thanks Wisconsin for the kind hospitality!

I was recently arrested on a welfare check for not providing my ID. I had broken my leg…read more I was put on suiside watch and placed in a tiny cell naked for 36 hours without any medical assistance whatsoever. During booking, I was told that because I was unwilling to provide my information for an unlawful arrest, our public servants got butt hurt and decided to play judge, jury, and executioner. I have absolutely no history of suicide and the medical staff was well aware of this during my stay. I remember the good times and bad regarding my stay at this establishment. I remember my neighbor pooping and peeing on the door of his cell whilst singing "I believe I can fly," by R Kelly. I remember the friends I made, like the public servant who told me to "shut the fuck up" after asking for medical assistance. We had a great time together. Overall the food was amazing! 5 stars. The company and care was top notch! 5 stars. However, I will admit that this is not an establishment where bringing a date or finding one is recommended. Time to sue the city of madison.

The lie, lie, lie and lie some more. They all work in the same building, but each jail grunt you…read moretalk too has a different story! My brother was told by them that he could get out on the jail diversion program and dose at psychological addiction services to continue his treatment. Now some nurse is totally going in the opposite direction, lie lie lie and lie some more that's all they do in the Dane County jail. My brother is trying to put his life back together not to mention the judge put in there in his notes that he is to continue going there that's why he got the jail diversion program this new sheriff don't know his ass from a hole in the ground. Get my brother out of there and let him continue his treatment because if he relapses I am going to hold the Dane County jail responsible and I will find a lawyer in the United States that will take this case. You can't just send pregnant females out there to dose and leave everybody else to die that is called discrimination. Somebody is going to listen to me I am not going to lay down anymore. So if you're from the Dane County jail I would get your ass in gear. Shawn Johnson

I went to Madison East DMV for CDL testing. Each time I experienced very friendly employees and…read morehad 5 tests to pass. I am very grateful for the help in testing. I have one left! Going today. Wish my luck!!

Went in for my son's road test. Nice location, and fairly well organized. My only complaint is…read moreknowing what to do when you first walk in - it wasn't abundantly clear until we figured it out (guessed). While things were somewhat busy, we had an appointment and got to go into the short line (yay us!). Upon checking in, they send the driver to wait in their car (we were 20 minutes early, which was interesting - long wait in a car). After passing the test, we had to get back in line (which was short at this time - yay us!). They quickly processed us and gave us a number. By the time we filled out the form, our number was called. bang-boom, we were done. Very efficient! All staff there were very friendly. I was impressed with their efficiency.

This community is over regulated and managed poorly. The stop lights are scheduled to cause long…read moredelays and I am now seeing people run the lights all the time because they are sick of waiting for no reason. Someone is going to get killed as a result, and it is the City's fault. The City also posts signs that blare out in red letters SLOW DOWN if you are going five miles over the speed limit. Perhaps George Orwell was right.

The Capital is Beautiful, the city is sandwiched between two lakes, and we have minimal…read moreregulations. For instance, license plates & insurance for cars are apparently optional now. Don't wanna stop at that pesky red light? No problem. Seriously though, why are these cars careening through traffic with no license plates not being pulled over? Dumb ass kids shoot guns from stolen cars like once a week now. Maybe if we pulled sone of these cars over in advance of the shooting that would help. Satya has got to go & why the hell is Evers not stepping in to do something about this? Also f&$k Ron Johnson though; Republicans just give everything to the already rich and that ain't helping either.

The best city in the State of Wisconsin. Home to our state government and seat of the primary/main…read morecampus of the great University of Wisconsin System. We also have a capitol building which is quite beautiful, inside and out, and my great grandfather built some of its original staircases.

Honey - clean, quiet, knowledgeable staff and I'd hang out at this place if it wasn't a library…read more Best resources after the Risser Law library.

The staff can be inconsistent but overall I am a fan because of the simplicity…read more From the jail to the sales to the process serving to the CHANGE machine in the first floor lobby. Yes folks, need money for the meter - there's a change machine that gives dollar bills and quarters. Only have a $50 the lady at the bond window will break it and direct you to the change machine for more small bills and coins. The civil staff is usual government-type folks but I have to admit each time that I have had to deal with a uniform officer from the Sheriff's department they have been the most pleasant, polite, less attitude-y, cordial than the police or state and city uniformed officers. This isn't a slight against others just my point of view based on various encounters. LOOK SERVICE MATTERS & IT MATTERS EVEN IN PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICES.

Good people, who work hard to keep Dane County safe and running smoothly. Not much more to say.read more