By Ben Rodgers
Editor
ASHWAUBENON – Incumbent Corrie Campbell is being challenged by Alex Tran for the right to represent Ashwaubenon on the Brown County Board of Supervisors.
The Press emailed the same questions to both candidates and gave them 250 words to respond to each one.
Below are there answers in full:
Name: Corrie Campbell
Immediate family: None
Occupation: Current communications and events coordinator for the National Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help
Any civic groups you belong to: Ladies of the Moose, Moose Lodge, Ashwaubenon Green Bay and De Pere Antiquarian Society, Nativity of Our Lord Parish member, Brown County Fairgrounds Plan Steering Committee, Volunteer citizen member of Ashwaubenon Plan Commission
What are your goals for Brown County for the next five years?
As an elected Brown County Board member representing Ashwaubenon District 21; as a member of the Brown County Education and Recreation Committee; as the Brown County representative and board president of Nicolet Federated Library System; as the Brown County representative on the Aging and Disability Resource Center board of directors and Brown County reppresentative on Transportation Coordinating Committee, I will continue to provide responsible, common-sense management of multi-million dollar budgets, applying debt-reduction strategies to hold down taxes for our residents as I have for the past five years in which I have served as a twice-elected leader.
My goals are to continue to provide a high level of quality services that foster& promote opportunities for residents to live comfortably – not just surviving, but thriving – in all of their endeavors in their communities, raising families and growing into their golden years with a variety of safe, secure, affordable housing options, life-long learning opportunities and many health, recreational, creative and cultural outlets.
Why should residents choose you as a Brown County supervisor?
My high ideals for Ashwaubenon are matched by five years of proven experience as a twice-elected public servant committed to improving my community as a citizen, business owner and civic leader. Inspired by my neighbor who, at more than 80 years old, volunteers every school day to help children cross the street safely to get to and from school, I am passionate about protecting Ashwaubenon and its residents, preserving, promoting and contributing to the proliferation of the amazing assets and amenities we enjoy at a value for taxes we pay. I will, as a board member committed to public safety, work hard to maintain the safe “Leave it to Beaver” feel of our neighborhoods. As a compassionate leader on the ADRC board and TCC boards, I will continue to fight to provide access for those of all abilities, at every age, and affordable access to mental health services and rehab services. I will work hard on the education and recreation committee, the plan commission to promote our education system, its libraries, parks, community centers, cultural and recreational centers and preserve the historic institutions that provide opportunities for lifelong learning, health, well-being and vitality, personal and professional growth. I remain committed to fostering, in our village and Brown County inclusiveness and willingness to embrace diversity.
What issues face the county and how would you handle them?
One issue is the increased costs of crime from opiate addiction and substance abuse.
I continue to support, as I have, common-sense initiatives like alternative courts that address the underlying issues of crime and help reduce jail population; support, as I have, state legislation for more funding for assistant DA’s to handle backlog of cases in Brown County; promote, as I have, rehab and mental health service support initiatives in Brown County.
Another issue is finding revenue sources to support Brown County facilities, economic development and quality of life initiatives to draw residents to, and keep residents in Brown County.
We have amazing parks, a zoo, adventure park, golf course, libraries, a fair, a museum and recreation facilities because of partnerships with friends of groups that volunteer their time. I will continue to support partnership efforts; I will continue to advocate for better marketing/communications in Brown County for facilities and programs. I have donated all time for travel and expenses to bring a major attraction here to a Brown County facility in the winter time that will fund itself and promote economic development.
Why did you choose to run for county supervisor?
Every day I get up and go to work, I truly love coming home to enjoy the quality of life I have for the taxes I pay here in Ashwaubenon, in Brown County. When I travel elsewhere to other cities and states, I don’t see that level of service being provided for the taxes paid and I am proud of the fact that, for Ashwaubenon, in Brown County, we have been able to provide real value to our residents for the taxes they contribute. Through responsive representation and responsible budgeting, proper stewardship and allocation of all our tax dollars, we can do even better. I want to make sure my neighbors, friends, family and I continue to enjoy a great quality of life here in Brown County for the hard earned money we pay in taxes.
If elected, what do you hope to accomplish in your term?
Advocate for increased public safety services because we have a growing opiate addiction problem that contributes to crime that negatively impacts the community at every level and increases tax burden. We also have a harrowing human trafficking issue that I have been working very hard to prevent from growing in our community. I will continue to advocate for better and more affordable access to mental health services throughout the county. As the county representative on the volunteer Aging & Disability Resource Center board and Transportation Coordinating Committee, I will continue to provide programs that help people of all ages to live freely, independently and with dignity. I’d like to see better access into, and out of Brown County from a transportation perspective. It is a global economy and we need to address that as we consider economic development initiatives and how to attract and keep a skilled workforce in Brown County.
Name: Alex Tran
Immediate family: None
Occupation: Manager, Duke Marine Engineering Consultants, Inc.
Any civic groups you belong to: None
What are your goals for Brown County for the next five years?
My goals are:
1. Ensure that the recently passed 0.5 percent sales tax sunsets within five years and delivers the property tax
and debt relief that was promised to taxpayers.
2. Make sure sales tax dollars are not diverted from the original global intent, as the actual uses of were never disclosed to the public and should have been.
3. Since the County Board increased spending by over $30 million in the past two years and is close to its maximum state imposed tax limits, I plan on focusing on cutting waste out of government to ensure adequate services can still be maintained while focusing on major issues like mental health, jail overcrowding, and providing services to our veterans, which have been lacking.
4. The county does no proactive recruitment to attract companies that offer good paying jobs, and I would redivert economic development funds that have failed to produce any returns and use those dollars in that effort.
5. Keep the residents informed of important issues that come before the County Board (like the sales tax), before taking votes. I would gather input from you, the voter, through listening sessions, or have it go to a referendum, so voters can decide whether something is important enough to increase taxes.
Why should residents choose you as a Brown County supervisor?
I’m the best candidate because I won’t kick the can down the road, and I’ll vote like you and your family would when it comes to solving challenging situations. I’m not a career politician looking to get along, so I can go along. I believe in the American Dream and I believe in protecting the opportunity so others, have the same opportunities I had. My promise to you is – I will work for you and I will protect your interests – not special interests.
What issues face the county and how would you handle them?
The County has increased spending by over $30 million in the past two years and the levy limit (or ability to increase taxes) is almost reached while failing to address major issues that have been going on for years like jail overcrowding, mental health issues, and the Community Treatment Center. Unfortunately, The Brown County Board seems more interested in throwing money at the wall versus finding real solutions and holding government accountable. To date, I haven’t seen any achievable, long-term strategies proposed yet. These issues have been around for almost a decade now, the county is close to its spending limit and we still don’t have a solution in sight. I think taxpayers deserve to know why and they need better representation than the status quo – it’s time for a change.
Why did you choose to run for county supervisor?
My father and I came here as war refugees from Viet Nam in 1983, and Ashwaubenon gave us a safe place to call home. For that, I am very grateful. We started from nothing and struggled until my father was able to find a good stable job. Over the years he was able to save enough to build a home, and later in his retirement, started a small business. I had the opportunity to attend Ashwaubenon High School where I had amazing teachers who challenged me to be better. Ashwaubenon provided me a strong education background and that has allowed me to attend one of the best universities in the world, UW-Madison. My intention for running is to give thanks to the community that has given me so much over the years.
If elected, what do you hope to accomplish in your term?
Going door-to-door these past few weeks and talking with voters, it’s clear that they want to be more informed of what is
happening with Brown County. For example, many didn’t know that the County had passed a $147 million (0.5 percent) sales tax. So, the first thing that I would want to accomplish is to keep voters informed on what is happening with county government, through newsletter updates.
Second, and more importantly, I want to talk with voters and get their opinions on major issues that directly affect them before voting, like the 0.5 percent sales tax. Voters need to know where their hard-earned money is going and for what purpose.
Third, I would work closely with other board members to find solutions to the problems that still plague our county – jail overcrowding, rising housing prices (especially in Ashwaubenon), and mental health services, especially for our veterans.
Finally, I would work with the business leaders in our county to create more job opportunities and fairer living wages so that everyone living here can have a chance at achieving their American Dream.