Home municipality
Madison
Home ZIP code
53562
Reduce duplicate costs for services that are already provided by the city, state and school boards. There is no reason to spend tax dollars on services already being provided by other local governments. Review and scrutinize every task force, committee or workgroup to ensure only thoise needed to provide essential services to residents are funded. Identify and demand transparency for any supervisor with existing relationships to vendor contracts and purchasing. Implement daily web posting of all expenditures by the Board for public view.
Reduce affordable housing initiatives until the board has spending under control and focus on rooting pout waste, fraud and abuse at the county level. Demand openness and transparency of vendor selection process and implement immediate ethics review of all transactions.
Safety with consequences for law breakers. Independent internal audit of all expenses and revenue. Focus on safety and crime reduction with increased enforcement initiatives and strict compliance for noncompliance of laws and ordinances.
Two years on the City of Madison Equal Opportunities Commission. State of Wisconsin Administration experience managing special education funds for all school districts including aid payments, monitoring and compliance, and eligibility reviews. UW Madison divisional human resources manager responsible for responsible for policy guidance, conflict resolution, fair labor standards and other tasks associated with employee management and development.
Home municipality
City of Middleton
Home ZIP code
53562
Preferred pronouns
She/Her
Know Your Candidates Interview
Dane County is one of the fastest growing areas in the country. I believe in good fiscal stewardship when addressing structural deficits. It is imperative however to support growth without rapidly skyrocketing property taxes for our residents. The development of new properties and new businesses must support the infrastructure and increased needs that they generate, in a way that balances against property tax rate increases for residents. Consolidation of services, reducing managerial levels, & retaining the expertise of county workers should all be a priority over quick-fix contract labor.
I serve on the City of Middleton’s Workforce Housing Committee to ensure accessible, affordable housing for the workforce, growing families, & seniors. I support the county’s Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing projects that preserve existing units. Leveraging state-level financial tools & modernizing zoning ordinances will expand housing supply & encourage streamlined processes for new development. Increasing visibility of federal and state programs for unhoused people to harness the full scope of HUD, veteran services, & Social Security resources will improve outcomes for our residents.
Affordable housing is the top issue I hear about in District 15 to support the growing workforce, young families, and retirees looking to stay in communities they helped build. Environmental protection, sustainable resource use, & preservation of our beautiful natural spaces are also a top priority. Families are drawn here by the clean lakes, public green spaces, conservancy districts, and a wealth of year-round outdoor activities. The community wants to ensure these assets are available for future generations to enjoy. Shrewd use of land and water resources must afford these protections.
I retired from the Navy after 25 years on active duty, in 13 locations, with 2 deployments & service on 9 ships. My experiences required time-sensitive problem-solving, flexibility, & working with partners at every level of domestic & international government, industry, & academia. Communication, integrity, & teamwork are my hallmarks. As a leader, attorney, & Fulbright scholar, I practiced criminal, admin, & contract law, and served as an international law professor. Military service took us all over the world, but my husband and I chose Dane County as the ideal place to raise our middle-school-age daughter. I volunteer with PTO, youth soccer, & a church program supporting new foster children. I am a certified UW-Extension Master Gardener.
Home municipality
Madison
Home ZIP code
53717
Preferred pronouns
he/him
Know Your Candidates Interview
All government budgets are moral documents that reflect the needs & priorities to improving the lives of all residents. With that perspective, addressing the deficit will require both responsible revenue solutions & cost-saving strategies. In addition to increase state revenue-sharing formulas we must take a look at improving efficiency & collaboration w/Madison. This approach worked in 1999 when I co-chaired w/Mark Pocan, the Task Force on the Unification of Madison & Dane Co. Public Health Depts. which improved public services, reduced costs & elimination of duplicative government functions.
Housing affordability is a top priority & collaboration among Dane Co. Units of Govt. is a must. I support expanding housing cooperative ownership, streamlining regulatory oversight for high-density condominiums & multi-family developments, strengthening inclusionary housing in new projects, support targeted tax credits & incentives to rehabilitate & modernize older affordable housing units & expanded affordable housing credits for transitional housing and increased investment in mental & addiction treatment facilities that provide supportive services and promote long-term housing stability.
My priorities reflect the voices of constituents who want housing affordability, safe neighborhoods, clean water, cost-effective Co. services & financially responsible government. I will bring a practical, accountable & a collaborative approach to the Dane Co. Board to ensure these priorities translate into real results! Neighborhood & community public safety is a foundational for every community in Dane Co. We also need to improve Dane Co's drinking water free from “forever chemicals” & a collective sustainability strategies that create good-paying jobs & increase state revenue sharing.
My professional & civic experience has been grounded in leadership, accountability, advocacy for effective, transparent government—experience that directly prepares me to address the priorities facing Dane Co. I previously served as Pres./CEO for the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging & Health Groups, a statewide advocacy organization representing 1.4 million elderly & people with disabilities which focused on low-cost Rx Drugs, protecting & improving the ACA. I worked with state legislators, county governments, school districts & public agencies on issues including healthcare access, housing, public health funding & sustainable development. I bring decades of proven leadership experience in collaboration & successfully public policy results!
