Campaign phone
219-608-0208
I am currently serving my second term on the Lincoln Township advisory board. I have been active in local government for over 25 years. I run a business, my farm, and tackle problems on a daily basis. I also am not afraid to speak out and listen to people. I may not always agree with others but I am willing to have a civil and respectful conversation about any topic. At the end of the day the people are what come first. The incivility and clashing of egos has made a mockery of LaPorte county. If I do not know an answer then I will find it for the person. At the end of the day we are all in this together. Elected may not know of an issue if it is not brought forward to our attention. I am always willing to listen to concerns . This is something I have learned in business.
The industrial solar projects being proposed in Laporte county pose a double edged sword concerning private property rights. First is the owner who wants to enter into this industrial project has the right to do so. On the other hand they do not have the right to devalue or obstruct others from enjoying the property that the purchased in the county. These are not farms. The word farm is used to create a false narrative of a friendly scenario as opposed to an industrial park with fences, and factory type infrastructure. The KIP is another sore spot. The local government has been investing out there but in my opinion not much is moving forward. I feel part of that is from all the infighting . What business would like to invest millions of dollars in a dysfunctional county.
I have been going to the State House for several years during session. I speak with our local rep as well as others about concerns my neighbors and I have here. I also meet with State agencies to get local questions answered. I also believe that the county should be having regular meetings with the mayors of LaPorte and Michigan City. These meetings can or should include State Reps and Senators if available. I would also invite members of the smaller incorporated governments within the county. These meetings should be open to the public to get their input as well. Transparency will help people to believe in their government. The economic development teams should also be meeting on a regular basis as well. I believe Ronald Reagan said "A rising tide lifts all boats" .
Absolutely. The people come first. As I have said the elected may not always agree but it still our job to do what is best for the citizens and above all how their money is spent. The arguing and bickering in public meetings must stop. Having open , civil and respectful conversations will help to move the county forward. Putting the county employees welfare first must be a priority . The current morale is very low. When they see something wrong they should not be scared to bring it forward. The idea of anonymity is of great importance to solving a problem. A happy workforce will do a better job and do what it takes to help the county move forward. The old adage of "One bad apple spoils the whole bunch" speaks volumes in establishing a friendly work environment.
Campaign phone
219-716-5957
My entire adult life has been dedicated to public service and service the citizens of La Porte County. I have worked hard at being a good leader and will represent our citizens with the strongest of ethics.
The biggest piece of infrastructure a commissioner will deal with is county roads. We must have an effective, long range plan to maintain the more than 1,100 miles of county roads.
Having served on the Regional Development Commission I have a good understanding of our need for economic growth. Our economy was strongest when we had several industries operating here ( Allis Chalmers/American Home Foods/Modines ) and we need a return to that. We have what it takes to support industry. The issue now is to correct why we are unable to attract it.
The solar farm issue is not an easy one and I will say that foremost this is a property rights issue. It should be the county's position that regardless of what is done, it is done legally.
Simply stated, we have entirely too much bickering among some of our elected officials. The current commissioners, all of the same political party, can rarely if ever get through a meeting without arguing and accusations of criminal activity. Lawsuits among the current office holders have cost the county thousands of taxpayer dollars. This has left a dysfunctional county government and a poor reputation throughout the state. It must stop and when I am elected, it will stop.
We must have leadership that is open, transparent and willing to work together for the good of the county as a whole and not for individuals. Collaboration will bring results far more than bloated egos and partisanship.
Absolutely! I will work in a bipartisan manner to achieve the best results for the taxpayer; they deserve no less. My entire career as a police officer has been about making the community safer and better. It requires me to always put others ahead of myself. My campaign motto is "Service Above Self" because that is what I believe in most.
We have a wonderful county with unlimited potential. We are in a good location. We must take advantage of the highways and railroads that crisscross La Porte County and the international port that is just a couple dozen miles away. We must put our best foot froward to attract businesses here and encourage folks to live and raise there families here.
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Campaign phone
2193637485
I am a business, finance, accounting, and auditing professional. I have a B.S. in accounting from DePaul University in Chicago (1990). I served as a Federal Financial institution examiner, fresh out of college. I am a former two-term LaPorte City Councilman, and served my entire 8 years on the Finance Committee. I have an entrepreneurial background, and have spent my main living, the last 30 years, as a professional investor in the stock market. I utilize financial statements all the time in that profession. I am highly methodical and analytical. I am also highly conscientious...and nothing is more important to me than my integrity, which will never be for sale.
La Porte County has special strengths that relate to its natural beauty, including its topography, lakes, parks, the historic built environment (especially of its two major cities), and the idyllic and pristine nature of its rural spaces. We need to compete economically on the basis of this unique and special way of life. That which differentiates us attracts outside investors. Similarly, our lower cost of living (while still being relatively close to the Chicago Metroplex), and great transportation access, represent strengths. It is important that the executive authority of the county have a reputation for honesty, integrity, and independence. We need a stronger ordinance regulating solar farms, so they are not an imposition on people, but also need to respect property rights.
The local legislators (state senators and state representatives) are always a key conduit between the county and the statehouse. It is important for county officials on both the Commission and Council to maintain professional relationships with those state officials, a relationship that is a two-way street, so that the needs of the county (especially those that require the typical 80% state or federal grants to be able to complete), can be properly met/addressed.
I don't have any self-interests. I am here to serve the will, and best interests, of the people of La Porte County. And I always have been. That having been said, elected officials also have to follow their conscience. Nothing is more rewarding than building trust and collaborating with other elected officials and department heads, and having a sense of pursuing a common destiny for the precious sake of the people of La Porte County. Unfortunately, not everyone operates from this same basis. There is ego. There is self-aggrandizement. There is the corrupting influence of power upon those who are lured by its temptations. If something bad or wrong is going on in government, good men and women confront that and call it out. Sometimes, that is both required and necessary.
