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WAUKESHA - Lawmakers in Wisconsin are grappling with the issue of whether every city, village and town should have the same residency laws for convicted sex offenders, or whether cities should have the right to decide their own policy and allow for differences from place to place.

Waukesha Mayor Larry Nelson made it clear on Newsradio 620 WTMJ's "Wisconsin's Morning News" that he wants to keep the power in his city's hands to have its own law.

"The proposed bill would take away our right to self-governance and home rule, and do what we think is necessary to protect our citizens," said Nelson, who is also president of the Wisconsin Alliance of Cities.

"We feel it's worked fine to allow individual communities to look at what would work in their community, and this proposed state law would take away our right to do that."

He says the policy in his city has worked.

"We were very careful in Waukesha to come up with an ordinance that has the 750 foot restriction that still allows them a place to live, but does protect our children and will stand up to any legal challenge. We also included an anti-loitering, where they cannot be at a school, playground (or) park any time of the day."

Nelson also claims he has enough support in the state to make sure the legislature cannot pass a bill to force uniformity on sex offender residency policies in every city.

"I think the majority of people are in favor of the current situation where cities, villages and towns can create their own ordinance that will work for their local community rather than the state deciding this."