Liberal or Conservative?

People ask me if I am liberal or conservative. I’m not sure I can offer an answer that some people want to hear. I will always point out that local elections are nonpartisan. Still, there are folks out there that make their voting decision based on that litmus test.

I am very concerned about the divisive nature of politics today. People seem to be more liberal or more conservative than anytime I can remember. I am not sure if this is necessarily a good thing. It seems the further people grow apart politically, the more difficult it is for government to function effectively.

Another way to ask the question, I suppose, is if someone is pro-government or pro-business. In my case, my answer would be that I am pro-community. There are times when decisions need to be made that allow business to do what they do best—generate revenue and create jobs. On the other hand, there are times when government can play an active role in making a community a better place to live. It is important at the local level of government, in particular, to have officials who understand the benefits of both strong business and good government. When everyone works together, the end result is a better community for all residents.

I really do want what is best for Thiensville. Most of the residents that I have met over the past week or two feel the same way. Of course, some are very concerned about their property taxes. Others are concerned that sometimes the Village doesn’t understand how difficult it is for folks on limited or fixed incomes to pay for street, water or electrical improvements. Others don’t seem to mind paying a bit more in taxes in order to keep Thiensville a special and unique place to live.

Village Trustees need to find the right balance of making decisions that will help move us forward while keeping the needs of older adult residents or people struggling financially in mind. It’s no easy task and it’s certainly impossible to keep everyone happy. Still, I believe Thiensville is best served by trustees that will make decisions that are best for the entire Village, not one group or the other.

So, if you want a trustee that is very liberal or very conservative, don’t vote for me. If you want a trustee that will listen to all sides of a discussion and make a choice that is best for the community, then I am your candidate. Whatever your choice, please vote on April 3.

A Glorious Day

It was a beautiful day today so I thought I would take advantage and go door to door. I have to say I don't think I have ever seen a day where so many folks were outside. Lots of dog walkers and children playing. I met a number of people and what really pleased me was hearing from almost all of them how happy they are living in Thiensville. To a person, I heard over and over what a great place this is for families.

When I asked people if they had any concerns about Thiensville, most people wistfully said they wished taxes were lower. Still, they were happy the Village has done such an excellent job balancing its budget over the past few years. Many municipalities would love to be in Thiensville's financial situation. We should all feel good about that.

I did hear from an older adult or two that it was difficult paying for some of the costs they had to pay with the new water supply. I can appreciate that. Money is tight for many of us right now and I'm sure that's particularly true for people on a fixed income. I do believe it's important to recognize that long-time village residents are an important part of our community and we should try to figure out ways to keep their taxes as low as possible.

A person or two thought we should looks at more ways to share services with Mequon. I think that's worth considering. We have proven that we can work together to create an excellent library and school system. Still, if you're like me, you appreciate Mequon, but you are proud to be from Thiensville. So, I'm open to exploring ways to work with Mequon as long as Thiensville's identity and history remain strong and unique.

A number of people were concerned about the downtown. I agree with this. We need to do much more in making our Town Center a place where businesses can thrive and succeed. Our community has a reputation of working with businesses to make things happen, but I feel we need to go a step or two further. The Village should actively seek out business partners to locate in our community. We should also create incentives that will make Thiensville more attractive. I am of the mind that we should look at every option short of those that will raise taxes.

Thiensville is a great place to live. Thanks for considering me as a Village Trustee. Whoever you like in the race, be sure to vote on April 3.

Just in case you wanted to know more about me!

Kim is the director of the Arts, Humanities and Science in the School of Continuing Education, which includes College for Kids/Teens, the Lake Sturgeon Bowl,and a large variety of noncredit adult personal enrichment programs. He is also currently serving as the executive director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

Kim's programming specialties include theater appreciation, public speaking, presentation skills, architecture appreciation and travel programs. He leads annual theater tours to New York as well as a number of tours to destinations around the world including Tanzania and India.

Prior to coming to UWM in 1993, Kim served as the Cultural and Fine Arts Program Manager at the Naperville Park District in Illinois. He was also a World Service Worker for the YMCA in Alexandria, Egypt. Kim has an extensive background in theater, having participated in over 60 productions as an actor, director and technician.

He is the past president of the Milwaukee Ethnic Council and has participated in the Milwaukee Mosaic program.

He holds a B.A. in philosophy from Saint John's University, Minnesota; an M.A. in humanities from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh; and an M.A. in theater and drama from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

He has volunteered with the Milwaukee area AFS student exchange program and was recognized as an Emerging Leader by the U. S. State Department for his work with that organization. He has been awarded the Kettle Country District Award of Merit for his volunteer efforts with the Boy Scouts. He is a graduate of Group XII of the Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program and his biography is listed in both Who's Who in America and Who's Who in American Education. He is currently a member of the Village of Thiensville Planning Commission.

Thanks for Your Support

Thanks to the good folks of Thiensville that voted for me last evening. I appreciate your support in my campaign for Village Trustee. I will use this blog to keep you updated over the next few weeks with my thoughts on the future of our wonderful community. Don't be afraid to share your opinions. I would like to hear them.