1st Place: Public schools
2nd Place: Bike paths
3rd Place: Teacher salaries

If there’s one thing that is clear in the Chippewa Valley, it’s that we take pride in breeding talented individuals. As such, most people recognize that our public schools are to credit. For the third year in a row, locals were glad to fork over their tax dollars to the deserving schools. And for the third year in a row, the school boards had to make vital cuts because they don’t have enough funding. And those teacher salaries that are good enough for third best continue to dwindle. Remember the result of this category when you are called to vote on a school referendum in the next few years. We also love our natural beauty around these parts, proven by the high use of local bike paths and our willingness to continue extending them. Though even that may be a problem, given the city’s continued budget crisis. Sorry for getting all political, but this is the ranting and raving category, after all. – Trevor Kupfer