How I’ll build a county government that runs competently, plans ahead, and respects both taxpayers and employees.
Taxpayers deserve clear, honest accounting, not surprises after the fact. La Porte County is facing a serious budget gap, and long-term decisions should be made with full visibility into spending, debt, and priorities—not patched together behind closed doors.
Taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be handed out through no-bid deals with insiders. Contracts should be competitively bid, properly documented, and awarded based on performance and price—not insider access.
Tax incentives should produce real returns for the community. TIF districts and abatements must be used sparingly, transparently, and only when taxpayers receive measurable value. Economic development should strengthen the tax base, not quietly drain it.
Basic infrastructure isn’t optional. Roads, bridges, drainage, and public facilities must be adequately maintained, and contractors should be held accountable for the quality of their work.
County government should operate in the open. Decisions should be made in public meetings, with clear processes and real opportunities for residents to be heard—not surprises after the fact.
County employees should be able to do their jobs without fear of retaliation or political pressure. Professional standards, due process, and competence should guide personnel decisions—not intimidation.
What’s wrong
La Porte County is facing a structural budget shortfall of roughly $6 million, and recurring spending continues to outpace revenue. Past transparency failures have made it difficult for taxpayers to clearly understand where money is going, how much debt the county is carrying, and what long-term commitments are already locked in.
Budget problems don’t fix themselves. Postponed difficult decisions often lead to later service cuts, postponed maintenance, or unexpected taxpayer burdens.
What I’ll do
• Demand clear, line-item visibility into spending, debt, and obligations
• Push for multi-year budgeting so short-term fixes don’t create long-term holes
• Treat one-time funds as one-time funds—not excuses to expand permanent spending
What success looks like
A balanced, understandable county budget that protects core services and doesn’t surprise taxpayers after the fact.
What’s wrong
Too many county contracts are awarded through emergency declarations or no-bid processes that bypass competition and transparency. When projects are rushed or repeatedly labeled “emergencies,” taxpayers lose the protection that competitive bidding is supposed to provide.
Over time, this leads to higher costs, repeat vendors with poor performance, and decisions made without public confidence.
What I’ll do
• Reduce reliance on emergency and no-bid contracts through better planning
• Require competitive bidding whenever legally possible
• Make contract decisions transparent before money is spent, not after
What success looks like
More competition, better workmanship, and taxpayer dollars spent in the open.
What’s wrong
Tax incentives like TIF districts and abatements are often treated as free money, but they shift the tax burden away from selected projects and onto everyone else. Too often, incentives are granted to companies that would expand anyway—or to routine businesses that don’t need public subsidies to operate.
That’s not economic development. That’s poor stewardship.
What I’ll do
• Require a clear return-on-investment analysis before approving incentives
• Reserve abatements and TIFs for projects that genuinely need them
• Demand accountability for promised jobs, investment, and timelines
What success looks like
Economic growth should strengthen the tax base, rather than silently draining it.
What’s wrong
Roads, bridges, drainage systems, and public facilities don’t fail overnight—they fail when maintenance is deferred, and accountability is ignored. In some cases, infrastructure rated in “good condition” has deteriorated far faster than expected, raising serious questions about inspections and contractor performance.
Neglect costs taxpayers more in the long run.
What I’ll do
• Prioritize maintenance based on condition and need, not politics
• Require contractor performance history to factor into future awards
• Insist on meaningful inspections and follow-through—not paperwork exercises
What success looks like
Infrastructure that lasts and contractors who know quality actually matters.
What’s wrong
Too many decisions are made with little public awareness until after the fact. Meetings often feel procedural rather than participatory, leaving residents to piece together what transpired and why. Meetings rarely include contract details or spending breakdowns.
Government shouldn’t feel like a closed club.
What I’ll do
• Support transparent, predictable processes for public decisions
• Ensure meetings are accessible and information is available in advance
• Treat public input as part of decision-making, not a box to check
What success looks like
A county government that operates in the open and earns public trust.
What’s wrong
County employees shouldn’t worry that a social media post, an internal rumor, or a lack of “correct” political loyalty will cost them their job. That’s not accountability—it’s instability.
The county loses institutional knowledge when it fires experienced employees for non-performance-related reasons. Systems start failing. Repairs get more expensive. And taxpayers end up paying to fix problems that shouldn’t exist in the first place.
Multiple employees have been forced into wrongful termination lawsuits. Many more were pushed out quietly because they couldn’t afford to fight back. That’s bad management, and it’s bad for taxpayers.
What I’ll do
• Support lawful, professional personnel practices
• Demand consistency, documentation, and due process
• Focus on competence and performance—not loyalty to elected officials
What success looks like
A stable, professional county workforce focused on serving the public—not watching their backs.
La Porte County deserves better leadership…
La Porte County deserves leadership that focuses on results, not excuses.
If you believe county government should work for the people who fund it, I invite you to be part of this effort.
