It is imperative for the city to focus on strong financial management. With shrewd utilization, we can ensure that every dollar collected goes as far as possible toward the city’s responsibilities to the public. Efficient spending allows tax dollars collected to remain as low as possible. More money stays in your pocket without a decrease in the quality of services provided.

• Maintaining Sheboygan’s AA2 Credit Rating – Essentially the city’s credit score, the AA2 rating is the highest score possible for a community of our size and scale. The high score keeps the tax levy needed for debt payments down due to the availability of lower interst rates.
• Effective Utilization of Existing Fund Balances – By strategically supplementing tax revenue with fund balance, we have been able to accomplish more with less tax levy and borrowing.
• Opposing Wasteful Spending – The City's finances belong to the public at large. Spending residents' money should be focused on items that provide real benefit to our community. I have opposed spending on superfluous items including raises for elected officials and capital borrowing plans that included too many extraneous expenses, and I will continue to do so.
• New Efficiencies – Administration needs to continue to prioritize standardizing processes and tools in use across our departments. By streamlining and reducing waste we can ensure a more effective government.

The City of Sheboygan, as an entity, is an organization similar to a midsize business. As such, it too has to make considerations regarding internal operations. Efficacious internal operations allow the city to provide high-quality services and ensure public dollars are spent efficiently. The following considerations have been my top priorities:

• Employer of Choice – The strength of any organization is the people that comprise it. The City has countless committed civil servants that care about our community. By attracting strong candidates and creating a high-retention environment, the city can be sure that resident services will remain as customer-focused and effective as citizens rightfully deserve.
• Processes and Controls – Anybody who has been assigned a project with vague, open-ended requirements knows the importance of clearly-defined processes. Equally important are the internal controls that ensure accurate and reliable information is generated in a timely manner. These prevent incidental non-compliance and provide the information that decision-makers rely on when guiding the organization.
• Succession Planning – Creating and implementing proper succession plans is an in-progress effort within the city. Planning helps avoid issues created when a long-time civil servant moves on from his or her role.