In my time on County Board, I have helped create the West Salem Business Park, the Household Hazardous Materials Program and the Criminal Justice Management Council. I want to continue to be part of the county that other counties come to for advice on how best to solve problems. We still have issues like roads, homelessness and climate change that need solutions. In my dual role as county board member and State Representative I have been able to leverage my knowledge and connections to benefit both the state and La Crosse County. We have directed more money for roads and public safety, and at the same time have used our resourcefulness to keep our per capita tax rate at the 5th lowest among all 72 counties in the state. We provide quality services and always keep an eye on the cost to our taxpayers. I want to help us continue to be the best-run county in the state.

For many years, the State has pushed more responsibility down to the local level but has short-changed our local governments in shared revenue and other state dollars. We have had to do more with less. As a result, I have been a champion of collaboration. We have set up partnerships between La Crosse and other counties, between the county and our municipalities and between the county and the private sector and non-profits. The county needs more flexibility to pursue these partnerships because they not only serve our people better, they also save taxpayer dollars. State mandates tie our hands; local decisions should be made at the local level. If the state doesn't want to give us more money for the projects they require, the state should at least let us determine the best way to handle these issues, whether it be land use, zoning, human services, criminal justice, public health, or many of the other services the state relies upon us to deliver.

Homelessness and taxes. Having an office in downtown La Crosse, I have seen firsthand the extent of our homeless problem. Some time ago, I also did a ride-along with the La Crosse police to gain a better understanding of the daily challenges faced by law enforcement in trying to use a firm but respectful approach to dealing with this population. It is clear we can't arrest our way out of the problem; but nor can we simply put homeless people in an out-of-sight location and think we have solved the problem. Regarding taxes, in my law practice I see the effects of high taxes on families, retired persons and businesses. High property taxes can drive people out of their homes, can force businesses to close, and slow our economy. Coupled with the high cost of childcare (if it can even be found), many families are surviving day to day.

The new homelessness initiative we recently approved is a perfect example of collaboration. By establishing an integrated approach between the county, city and various nonprofit agencies, and establishing clear benchmarks and deadlines, we will be better able to address the issue of homelessness. Importantly, this collaboration will not involve additional county spending - rather, we will better utilize existing resources in coordination with the other parties. Another example of innovation has been our increased emphasis on improving county roads. By conserving resources throughout our budget, we were able to dramatically increase our road improvement budget for 2024. We did such a good job of channeling resources to our highway department that we had to turn down a proposal to add an additional $1 million to the highway budget because our Highway Commissioner noted that our personnel and machinery will now be at maximum capacity. By focusing on priorities, we save tax dollars.

The reason I was inspired to get involved in this election is when my opponent voted to TAKE one million dollars out of the roads budget. He has all the WRONG priorities. He has spent over 30-years in this position and what do we have to show for it? Are the roads better or worse? Are taxes higher or lower? Is the community more or less divided? When elected, I will bring the discipline to focus resources on the fundamentals: Roads, Safety, & Infrastructure then return the savings to the moms and dads who are struggling to pay their tax bills.

Minimum Viable Product in software engineering describes the minimum functionality that accomplishes goals. Instead of building everything for everyone all at once engineers use a disciplined approach to focus resources on the fundamentals and deliver what is needed then build from that foundation later.

I’ll respect the taxpayers by first determining if projects fit within government scope: Roads, Safety, Infrastructure or something else? If the answer is ‘something else’ then the free market should provide the solution. This saves tax dollars and inspires the free market to do more leading to an expanding economy and stronger tax base.

I spent my career engineering software solutions that are designed to solve all sorts of problems. From small to large businesses and even federal agencies, I study problems, design solutions, and lead teams of professionals to deliver results. This is the professional approach I will bring to county government that current leaders lack.