Joe’s Priorities and Values
Transparency and Accountability
County government should operate in the open, with clear priorities and measurable outcomes. Joe will advocate for simplified, easy-to-read county budgets that allow residents to see where their tax dollars are going, how programs are performing, and whether spending aligns with stated goals. This includes supporting performance-based budgeting, regular financial reviews, and clear explanations for major expenditures and tax increases.
Transparency also means accountability. Joe will push for open decision-making, timely disclosure of information, and straightforward communication with residents about votes, contracts, and policy changes. County residents can expect honest, straightforward answers to their questions from Joe.
As one of the few Republicans on a heavily Democrat County Board, Joe will provide a necessary check and balance by questioning spending, scrutinizing contracts, and ensuring that political or private interests do not outweigh the needs of taxpayers and families who fund county government.
Cut Waste. Cut Red Tape.
County government should focus on what it does best and stop doing what it doesn’t do well or doesn’t need to do at all. Joe supports audits of county programs, consolidation where appropriate, and the elimination of redundant or underperforming initiatives.
Excessive regulation drives up costs for residents and businesses without improving outcomes. Joe will work to reform county-level regulations, permitting processes, and administrative requirements that add delays, fees, and uncertainty while providing little public benefit.
Joe knows that every dollar the county spends comes from taxpayers who are already balancing rising costs at home. Joe will approach county budgeting decisions with the same values that guide families’ personal finances: prioritizing needs, cutting waste, and demanding value for money.
Responsible Stewardship
The county’s first responsibility is to deliver core services effectively and efficiently. Joe will focus on protecting public safety, maintaining roads and infrastructure, and ensuring essential services function properly, while insisting on cost controls, competitive bidding, and regular evaluations to avoid waste.
Lake County’s natural resources are both an environmental and economic asset. Joe supports responsible land use planning, conservation efforts, and infrastructure decisions that protect waterways, preserves, and open spaces without imposing unnecessary restrictions on property owners or taxpayers.
Good stewardship also means long-term planning. Joe will evaluate policies through the lens of long-term fiscal impact, pension obligations, and future operating costs so that today’s decisions do not result in tomorrow’s tax hikes or service cuts.
Make Lake County More Affordable for Families
We are in the middle of a housing affordability crisis. The cost of housing has never felt more burdensome or out of reach for average families. Housing affordability is directly affected by county-level zoning, permitting, fees, and regulations. Joe supports smart zoning policies, reduced fees, and streamlined permitting processes that reduce delays and costs for homeowners, builders, and renovators without sacrificing safety or community standards.
Property taxes are one of the biggest contributors to the ever-increasing costs of homeownership and rent in Lake County. Lake County residents face one of the largest property tax burdens in the entire nation. Joe will oppose policies that increase the property tax burden and support spending restraint and efficiency measures.
Families and small businesses should not be forced to navigate unnecessary bureaucracy just to live, work, or improve their property. Joe will work to remove barriers that make it more expensive for people to stay in Lake County and build a future here.
Support Businesses
As a co-owner and manager of a small family business, Joe knows that small businesses often feel the impact of regulations most acutely. Joe will advocate for policies that consider the real-world effects of county rules on business owners, contractors, and entrepreneurs. Joe will support reforms that streamline approvals, permits, and inspections so businesses can open and expand faster.
Job growth happens when government creates the right environment, not when it picks winners and losers. Joe will support responsible economic development, workforce partnerships, and infrastructure investments that attract jobs while keeping costs and taxes under control.
