Louis Armstrong
Position sought: Mayor of City of Monroe
Age: 55
City/town of residence: Monroe
Family: Wife Josephine, son Louis II
Education: B.S. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Occupation: General Manager Minhas Craft Brewery
Previous elected positions held: Alderman Ward 7 and Mayor, City of Monroe
Incumbent Mayor Louis Armstrong is being challenged by former Monroe Mayor Bill Ross. The mayoral position is a two-year term.
What are the top issues facing this district/municipality and how would you work to resolve it?
Coronavirus. We need to do our part to protect our community from the further spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). While there is no known incidence of COVID-19 in the City of Monroe, we have all intentions of keeping it that way. Many actions and discussions have taken place within our community, from the YMCA, Chamber of Commerce, Monroe Public Library, Monroe School District, and the City of Monroe to name a few; scheduled events and programs have been cancelled or rescheduled, and the situation will be continually monitored and plans adjusted as deemed necessary.
What are other key issues facing the district/municipality, and how would you work to resolve them?
While other issues facing our community pale in comparison to our current situation, another key issue to discuss is always the budget. I have brought a theme of a sustainable budget to our city. A variety of different ways to look at the budget is how I have changed our past practices. Under the previous Mayor, your Mill Rate increased annually;
His last three years in service showing an increasing rate of: 10.12 (2013); 10.36 (2014) and 10.81 (2015).
Since I took office in 2016, your City’s mil-rate had decreased each year: 10.63 (2016); 10.55 (2017); 10.47 (2018); 9.64 (2019); 9.58 (2020).
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
Immediately after being sworn in for my first term as Mayor I was able to reverse years of indecision from the previous Mayor and gain consensus from the Council to raze a deteriorating and unsafe parking ramp; we have a new and improved City Code to guide us; an eyesore and violator of at least half a dozen City Codes was cleaned up when the City’s long idled Incinerator was razed last year; Council gatherings and meetings are more orderly and have a greater sense of pride; and the budget will always be discussed with a sustainable approach and a view of its components and their overall impact.
For these reasons and more, I am the best candidate for this position as I will continue work towards making our Community great.
