Age: 43
Address: 1012 19th Ave.
Occupation/Employer: Sales Manager, New Glarus Motors
Community Involvement: Current 7th Ward Alderman
Education: Graduate of Argyle High School, Argyle; attended Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.
Previous experience and achievements (in government or other entities): Served four years in U.S. Marine Corps, Desert Storm veteran. Current 7th Ward Alderman since April 2006.
1) What have you done to prepare yourself to become a city councilman?
I am the current 7th ward alderman, so I have almost six years of experience knowing how government works, and how it can work better for the citizens. If I am re-elected, there is no learning curve. Experience matters, and I have the necessary experience to help push this city to improved fiscal responsibility and accountability to the taxpayers we represent. Not only that, I have served my country in the military, and I see it as an honor to serve other citizens.
2) Aldermen and the mayor work closely together and with the city administrator and other city employees, as well as the public. How would you describe your personality and management style?
I have a friendly, outgoing personality, but at times, I can be more blunt than some people may like. I see that as an asset, because I am not the typical "politician" that will tell you what he thinks you want to hear. My management style is that I do not micro-manage - responsible people know that they have a job to do, and that they need to do it.
3) Council members are charged with the duty of hiring and firing city employees, as well as negotiating with their unions for salary and wage increases and benefits, such as vacation time and sick leave. It is of public interest to know, how much in the way of campaign contributions you have received from city employees? Would you accept any?
My campaign for re-election is an extremely low budget affair. I have not, and will not, accept contributions from anybody. If you support me, support me with your vote on April 3.
4) What should be the policy of allowing the public to speak at council meetings? Department heads? Other employees? Without advanced notice on the agenda?
I support the current policy on public speaking at meetings. There is a place on each council agenda where a member of the public, an alderman, a department head, or a member of the press can speak. The current policy is that anyone can speak at the appropriate place on the agenda. There is no need to have advance notice on the agenda. That is a perfectly fine policy. This issue only came about because a member of the public was allowed to speak during the "department head" slot on the agenda. This person was not a department head. Our meetings need to have structure and order, and the presiding officer's job is to insure that our meetings are run according to our policies and Robert's Rules of Order.
5) The city is in the midst of determining its continued use of the Green County Landfill/ Transfer station, and whether to buy new trucks and trash bins to continue collecting residential trash as a city service or to hire a private company for the service. What do you believe would be the city's best decision on these issues? How much should the city consider the effects its decisions have on other communities that use the county landfill transfer station?
In regards to the Green County landfill/transfer station issue, most of the facts have not been brought forward to the city council in a meeting as of yet. There are many facts not on the table, so I do not have a final opinion on this issue yet. As always, I consistently support anything which will benefit the city of Monroe taxpayers by reducing the expense, thereby reducing costs, which could reduce the taxes we pay. Each alderman is elected from Monroe, and must give primary importance to what benefits the city of Monroe and its taxpayers first.
6) Would you encourage the city to use Zero Based Budgeting? (This would require every line item of the budget to be approved, rather than only changes; the amount of money approved for expenditures is based on actual need instead of an automatic increase from the year before. This requires a thorough review process of every item with no reference to previous level of expenditure.)
Baseline budgeting is what the city of Monroe, and most governmental entities, use. The problem is that real cuts in spending are not made; there are simply cuts in the rate of growth of spending. With true zero-based budgeting, no regard is given to previous expenditures. That is not a perfect model either, because it is difficult to ignore previous and recurring costs within a city. The city of Monroe should use a modified zero base budgeting approach, where we look at actual expenditures in that department over the past few years, and if the previous budget was too high, then cuts to that budget need to be made. If the department was overbudget, we need to look at why, and whether it was a one-time expense, or whether those expenses are recurring. A baseline budget approach never allows for reductions in spending, which in turn, would never allow for reductions in our tax bills. That cannot continue to happen.
7) How do you, as a city council member, plan to help facilitate or foster economic growth and development in the city and neighboring communities?
As a city council member, I continually vote to approve anything that will foster economic growth. I have a very strong pro-business record. In addition, as a council member, it is our job to limit the amount of needless government interference in the private sector. We need to be ever cognizant to keep our fees for permits as low as they reasonably can be, and we need to cut government "red tape" wherever it exists. It needs to be much easier to start or continue a business in Monroe.
8) Have you ever failed to pay taxes when you were supposed to (i.e., on time)?
I have always paid my own property taxes when due.
Address: 1012 19th Ave.
Occupation/Employer: Sales Manager, New Glarus Motors
Community Involvement: Current 7th Ward Alderman
Education: Graduate of Argyle High School, Argyle; attended Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.
Previous experience and achievements (in government or other entities): Served four years in U.S. Marine Corps, Desert Storm veteran. Current 7th Ward Alderman since April 2006.
1) What have you done to prepare yourself to become a city councilman?
I am the current 7th ward alderman, so I have almost six years of experience knowing how government works, and how it can work better for the citizens. If I am re-elected, there is no learning curve. Experience matters, and I have the necessary experience to help push this city to improved fiscal responsibility and accountability to the taxpayers we represent. Not only that, I have served my country in the military, and I see it as an honor to serve other citizens.
2) Aldermen and the mayor work closely together and with the city administrator and other city employees, as well as the public. How would you describe your personality and management style?
I have a friendly, outgoing personality, but at times, I can be more blunt than some people may like. I see that as an asset, because I am not the typical "politician" that will tell you what he thinks you want to hear. My management style is that I do not micro-manage - responsible people know that they have a job to do, and that they need to do it.
3) Council members are charged with the duty of hiring and firing city employees, as well as negotiating with their unions for salary and wage increases and benefits, such as vacation time and sick leave. It is of public interest to know, how much in the way of campaign contributions you have received from city employees? Would you accept any?
My campaign for re-election is an extremely low budget affair. I have not, and will not, accept contributions from anybody. If you support me, support me with your vote on April 3.
4) What should be the policy of allowing the public to speak at council meetings? Department heads? Other employees? Without advanced notice on the agenda?
I support the current policy on public speaking at meetings. There is a place on each council agenda where a member of the public, an alderman, a department head, or a member of the press can speak. The current policy is that anyone can speak at the appropriate place on the agenda. There is no need to have advance notice on the agenda. That is a perfectly fine policy. This issue only came about because a member of the public was allowed to speak during the "department head" slot on the agenda. This person was not a department head. Our meetings need to have structure and order, and the presiding officer's job is to insure that our meetings are run according to our policies and Robert's Rules of Order.
5) The city is in the midst of determining its continued use of the Green County Landfill/ Transfer station, and whether to buy new trucks and trash bins to continue collecting residential trash as a city service or to hire a private company for the service. What do you believe would be the city's best decision on these issues? How much should the city consider the effects its decisions have on other communities that use the county landfill transfer station?
In regards to the Green County landfill/transfer station issue, most of the facts have not been brought forward to the city council in a meeting as of yet. There are many facts not on the table, so I do not have a final opinion on this issue yet. As always, I consistently support anything which will benefit the city of Monroe taxpayers by reducing the expense, thereby reducing costs, which could reduce the taxes we pay. Each alderman is elected from Monroe, and must give primary importance to what benefits the city of Monroe and its taxpayers first.
6) Would you encourage the city to use Zero Based Budgeting? (This would require every line item of the budget to be approved, rather than only changes; the amount of money approved for expenditures is based on actual need instead of an automatic increase from the year before. This requires a thorough review process of every item with no reference to previous level of expenditure.)
Baseline budgeting is what the city of Monroe, and most governmental entities, use. The problem is that real cuts in spending are not made; there are simply cuts in the rate of growth of spending. With true zero-based budgeting, no regard is given to previous expenditures. That is not a perfect model either, because it is difficult to ignore previous and recurring costs within a city. The city of Monroe should use a modified zero base budgeting approach, where we look at actual expenditures in that department over the past few years, and if the previous budget was too high, then cuts to that budget need to be made. If the department was overbudget, we need to look at why, and whether it was a one-time expense, or whether those expenses are recurring. A baseline budget approach never allows for reductions in spending, which in turn, would never allow for reductions in our tax bills. That cannot continue to happen.
7) How do you, as a city council member, plan to help facilitate or foster economic growth and development in the city and neighboring communities?
As a city council member, I continually vote to approve anything that will foster economic growth. I have a very strong pro-business record. In addition, as a council member, it is our job to limit the amount of needless government interference in the private sector. We need to be ever cognizant to keep our fees for permits as low as they reasonably can be, and we need to cut government "red tape" wherever it exists. It needs to be much easier to start or continue a business in Monroe.
8) Have you ever failed to pay taxes when you were supposed to (i.e., on time)?
I have always paid my own property taxes when due.