COUNTY BOARD CANDIDATE DATA SHEET

 

NAME:  J. Terry Hanson

 

ADDRESS: 345 North Van Ness St., West Salem, WI 54669

 

PHONE NUMBER: 608-786-0584

 

E-MAIL:    none

 

AGE: 68

 

NUMBER OF YEARS LIVED IN LA CROSSE COUNTY: 68

 

FAMILY:  Single

 

EDUCATION: 

 

OCCUPATION (if retired, former occupation):  Retired, former photo finisher

 

 

ELECTED OFFICES HELD (include years served):

County Board Supervisor, 8 years

West Salem Village President, 8 years

West Salem Village Trustees, 14 years

 

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND MEMBERSHIPS:

American Legion; Presbyterian Church; West Salem Rod and Gun Club (life member); West Salem Historical Society (life member); Booster Club (life member); chairman of Veterans Memorial Court of Honor; West Salem Volunteer Fire Department (20 years, 12 as president); served 4 ½ years in U.S. Navy.

 

La Crosse County Board Candidate Questionnaire

 

A.   Why do you want to serve on the La Crosse County Board?

 

To represent the people of the 21st District and to ensure their concerns are addressed. With the development of the Lakeview Business Park and the restructuring of the Lakeview Health Center, West Salem is in the center of many county issues. My eight years experience on the county board and 20 years in village government give me the experience and institutional knowledge to best represent the 21st District.

 

 

B.   What are the two most pressing issues facing La Crosse County, and what do you think La Crosse County government should do about them

As a senior citizen, taxes and fees imposed on the citizenry is a big issue. I believe that government has to be frugal with the tax dollars they collect, and we must look for new revenue streams that do not come out of the pockets of the overtaxed citizens. Secondly, with regard to the implementation of the La Crosse County Comprehensive Plan, we must make sure everyone is treated fairly.

 

The next several questions will ask your feelings about past and future actions by the county board. Please answer by putting an “X” next to the statement that most closely reflects your view. Then, please explain your reasons in writing

 

 

 

1. Do you support or oppose reducing the size of the county board by half?

Strongly Support X

Support

No opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

 

Reason:  I strongly support reducing the number of board supervisors, but not necessarily by half. We need to look at the number of districts following the 2010 census as that is the best time to look a reducing the size of the board.

 

2. With the switch to a county administrator four years ago, how satisfied are you with the county board’s new role as a board of directors that makes policy decisions rather than operational decisions?

Very satisfied

Satisfied 

No opinion

Unsatisfied X

Very unsatisfied

 

Reason:  While I’m satisfied with the County Administrator, I am not satisfied with the county board’s role as a board of directors. Currently, policy decisions are being fed to the board by bureaucrats rather than being initiated by elected officials. The people are losing control of their government.

 

 

 

3. How satisfied are you with the county administrator's new four-year contract?

Very satisfied

Satisfied

No opinion

Unsatisfied X

Very unsatisfied

 

Reason: I voted against it. I think it was wrong for the administrator to tell county workers we could only afford a 2 percent pay raise, while negotiating a 6 percent pay increase for himself.

 

4. How satisfied are you with the proposed “smart growth” comprehensive plan scheduled for county board approval in coming months?

Very satisfied

Satisfied  X

No opinion

Unsatisfied

Very unsatisfied

 

Reason:  While satisfied with the overall concept of the Comprehensive Plan, will support some of the changes requested by the local governments.

 

 

5. Do you support or oppose having the county board hold a referendum before borrowing money for buildings or other capital projects?

Strongly Support

Support

No opinion

Oppose X

Strongly Oppose

 

Reason:  I do not support going to referendum on every capital project. I would like to see a 2/3 vote of the board to borrow money for major capital projects.

 

 

6. Do you support or oppose La Crosse County being the main developer of its vacant Lakeview Farm property in West Salem?

Strongly Support

Support

No opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose X

 

Reason:  I strongly oppose La Crosse County doing the residential or retail development on the county farm. Being involved in the industrial development makes sense, however delving in retail and residential development belongs in the private sector.

 

7. Do you support or oppose La Crosse County's criminal justice philosophy, which includes finding alternatives to jail for offenders who are not a danger to the community?

Strongly Support

Support  X

No opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

 

Reason:  I support justice sanctions and the philosophy that if they aren’t a danger to the community, a punishment other than jail may be appropriate.

 

8. Do you support or oppose spending more of the county's budget reserves to reduce the property tax levy?

Strongly Support

Support X

No opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

 

Reason:  I support maintaining reserves as required by ordinance, but we should use excess reserves to reduce property taxes.

 

 

9. Do you support or oppose the state of Wisconsin's use of a "property tax cap" which limits La Crosse County's ability to raise property taxes by 2 percent, or the percentage of new construction growth, in 2009?

Strongly Support

Support X

No opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

 

Reason:  Yes, anything to save the taxpayers money.

 

10. Do you support or oppose the county's plans for a $29.5 million jail expansion?

Strongly Support

Support X

No opinion

Oppose

Strongly Oppose

 

Reason: I support the new jail. The state jail inspector condemned the women’s jail and we had to do something. The only hope we have is that society will clean up its act so we don’t have to build another.