I currently serve as the Johnson County Sheriff and have held this position for the past seven years. In January 2026, I began my eighth year as Sheriff. Prior to being elected Sheriff, I served as the Jail Commander for the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office operates one of the largest budgets in Johnson County and employs more personnel than any other county department. Through my leadership and experience managing this budget, I have developed a comprehensive understanding of fiscal responsibility and county financial operations.
I began my career with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in 1988 as a Dispatcher and have since worked in every division within the agency. I have 38 years of service to Johnson County.
My priority will always be protecting essential services—public safety, courts, and infrastructure—before anything else.
Voters want reassurance that law enforcement, EMS, and courts are not on the chopping block.
Before asking taxpayers for more, we have a responsibility to make sure we’re using every dollar wisely. Departmental audits, zero based budgeting. Eliminate duplication between departments.
Review contracts, overtime, and fleet costs. I will consider additional revenue tools if necessary but only after transparency with the public and only to maintain essential services. We need to plan 3–5 years ahead, not just react year to year. There’s no such thing as cutting taxes without impacting services somewhere.
My top priority is ensuring our law enforcement, fire services, and EMS have the staffing, training, and equipment they need to keep our communities safe. We have to maintain our roads, bridges, and infrastructure to support both residents and continued growth. We need to grow our tax base in a smart way so we can support services without overburdening taxpayers. Taxpayers deserve to know their money is being spent wisely, and that we’re constantly looking for ways to improve efficiency. Balancing a budget starts with priorities. Essential services: public safety, courts, and infrastructure come first. Having worked in public safety, I’ve seen firsthand how budgeting decisions impact real operations.
I support economic development incentives when they make sense for Johnson County, but they should never be automatic. Each project needs to be evaluated based on what it truly brings to our community.
First, I look at the return on investment. Are we creating good-paying jobs and long-term tax revenue that justifies the incentive? Second, I ask whether the project would happen without incentives. If it would, then we shouldn’t be asking taxpayers to subsidize it.
I also consider the impact on infrastructure and public services. Growth is important, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of overloading our roads, public safety, or other county resources.
I believe good decisions start with listening. You can’t effectively represent the community if you’re not actively engaged with it.
I plan to be visible and accessible attending community events, being available to residents, and making sure people can easily reach me by phone, email, or in person. If someone takes the time to reach out, they deserve a response.
I also believe in creating opportunities for input, such as town halls or listening sessions, so residents can share their concerns and ideas directly. Beyond that, it’s important to engage with the people on the front lines our public safety personnel, county employees, and local businesses because they often see challenges and solutions firsthand.
I’m very cautious about data centers because they consume a large amount of land and energy while creating relatively few jobs. In many cases, the long-term return for the community simply doesn’t match the impact they have on infrastructure and residents.
I believe Johnson County should focus on development that provides stronger economic value, supports our workforce, and fits our long-term vision; not projects that place heavy demands on our resources with limited local benefit.
