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My focus is addressing an acute housing shortage, affecting not only residents but our economic growth. A 2023 Housing Study found that employers are finding expansion difficult given a lack of housing. Half of the ten largest employment sectors in the county offer a median hourly wage below $15; making affordable housing out of reach. The housing crisis affects all Dunn County residents including a large homeless population, seniors needing smaller homes, young families and workers seeking affordable starter homes, and professionals looking for larger homes. I am actively involved in a County task force identifying financial resources, examining our zoning code for impediments, and addressing ways the County can partner to promote housing and robust economic development.

From a combination of precipitous decline in state contributions to local revenues, and one of the most restrictive revenue laws in the nation, Dunn and other counties have struggled financially. Property tax levy may increase only in the amount of net new construction. Dunn County’s rate is 1.35%. A welcome increase in shared revenue in the last legislative session has eased that funding burden. Yet counties remain challenged by a host of unfunded mandates, skyrocketing costs, increasing demand for mental health services, and decaying transportation infrastructure. I am part of the County’s Legislative Committee advocating yet more change. Our legislative proposal asks for further adjustment in the levy limit, and exemption for economic development and public safety expenditures.

Mental illness, as reflected in statistics about anxiety and depression, opioid abuse, suicide, is both a statewide and a local issue. Based on 2022 data (KFF 2022), nearly 35% of Wisconsinites reported experiencing untreated anxiety or depression. Providers are scarce. Mental health issues, including suicidal ideation, in adolescents are deeply troubling. In Dunn County these issues have been exacerbated by the closures of HHS/Prevea, eliminating regional crisis beds. I chair the Health and Human Services Board, and we will be accelerating hiring to partially address this critical issue. However, the County, acting alone, cannot solve these issues. A comprehensive regional approach is needed.

The two biggest issues in this cycle will be roads and debt. Roads. For a variety of reasons the county roads are a mess. Dunn County has over 800 miles of roads and we are on a 42 year repair cycle. Fixing the roads is a priority, and we must make use of all sources of revenue including borrowing. Debt. The County is in a good financial position with a healthy fund balance and an existing, renegotiated debt dropping each year. Our debt is considerably below our audited capacity to borrow, and we have designed a comprehensive plan to continually reduce debt. . There are conservative views opposing any borrowing, but in order to address roads and infrastructure issues we can and should continue to borrow within the adopted CIP plan.