City of Middleton Alder District 4
Two-year term Vote for one
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Chris Baines
(NON)
1. How would you evaluate your city’s current efforts to increase the amount of affordable housing? Are there additional steps the city should take to address this issue?
2. How should your city balance the need for development with other concerns, such as public safety, traffic, historic preservation, and conservation of natural areas?
3. Explain your vision of the Community Campus redevelopment of the downtown public buildings and how it should be funded.
4. What do you see as the top priorities your constituents have for the city council and how would you address them?
5. Describe your specific experience (educational, occupational, civic, and community) that prepares you to effectively address your priorities.
Home municipality
City of Middleton
Home ZIP code
53562
The city has taken great steps to increase the amount of affordable housing. I applaud these efforts. However, the city could do a better job of incorporating feedback from local communities.
The question correctly supposes it's a balancing act, and it is not one with an objectively right or wrong answer. Therefore it should be up to the people themselves to decide where to go on that balance, and that will largely depend on their values. Therefore, as an alder, I will listen to my constituents on this issue.
We need new buildings and services that serve their purpose, but we don't need the "Taj Mahal" of libraries or the like. As for how to finance it: While my expertise is in finance, it is in investment/corporate finance and not municipal finance - I am still learning the exact degree of overlap between the two. Therefore I look forward to consulting with Middleton staff and other experts on how to best finance these efforts.
My constituents are concerned that the Common Council might be pursuing maximum development at all costs. My constituents are not against development - it's critical to help control housing costs - but they don't think it should be maximized at any price. They are worried, among other things, about the effects of real estate development on public safety and traffic.
I teach finance/business on an as-needed basis at Edgewood University. I also once taught a course for Edgewood High SchooI students. I am a business owner - I own Baines Solutions LLC, which provides training services to financial institutions. I think these experiences give me a perspective into the challenges teachers face and the needs of local businesses.
I've volunteered with many political campaigns, including doing over 50 hours of canvassing work with the Middleton Democrats for Kamala Harris, Tammy Baldwin, Mark Pocan, Susan Crawford, and others. While doing that canvassing I have had many discussions with Middleton voters about their problems and priorities; I think that experience will help me represent them.
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