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Ronald Bomkamp

What are the top three issues of the campaign? 

• Continuing to provide county services that the community has become accustom to and desire, at a reasonable cost.  If taxes are cut, services will have to be cut, there is no way around it.  There are several unfunded mandates by the state that can't be cut.
• Maintain our current employees and recruit new, creative and dedicated employees to carry on our great workforce. The workforce of government employees has become very competitive.  We must maintain competitive benefits and wages or we won't be able to maintain and recruit employees.  
• Encourage economic growth in the county. There are two ways to increase the tax base.  Raise property taxes or grow the tax base.  I’m in favor of growth, to create a larger tax base.  This would help reduce the burden to a homeowner's tax bill.

Tell the voters about yourself

I was born and raised in Rock County.  I am a battalion chief for the Janesville Fire Dept.  I have a B.A. in public administration, from Upper Iowa University.  I will be celebrating 25 years of marriage to my wife, Amy.  I have two sons, Wyatt and Tanner.  Wyatt is a firefighter at Janesville with me.  Janesville lost out on Tanner as he is a firefighter in Milwaukee County.  

How did the board do in the last two years?

The board accomplished many successful events over the last two years. The Boy Scout camp was added to our park system. The Dr. Daniel Hale Williams Resource Center was opened. The Rock County Sheriff's Department started its remodel. The emergency manager position was moved out of the Sheriff's Dept. and is now directly supervised by the county administrator.  Creating a faster and more efficient response to county emergencies. Rock Haven has received more state funding.  The board was able to complete all of these tasks at minimal costs to taxpayers.  If your home was valued at $160,000 your county taxes went up about $4 a month from the previous year.

Sue Ryan 

What are the top 3 issues of election? 

• Being overtaxed combined with high prices for all goods/services
• Affordable grocery store for Janesville's south side
• Poor road conditions that cause expensive vehicle repairs

I've knocked on about 900 doors in district 28 so far, and these are the major concerns I'm hearing, and as a resident, I agree with all of these.

Nearly everyone I spoke with complained about possibly being driven out of their homes due to spiraling taxes. Ever increasing taxes, combined with soaring prices, especially for gas, food and meds has many in district 28 having to make difficult choices between eating, buying medications or putting gas in their cars.

Everyone I talked to is struggling at some level.. seniors on fixed incomes, working families, single parent families, EVERYONE!   And many expressed that they feel abandoned by local government bodies who are supposed to be working on their behalf, but often seem to sideline the working folks they were elected to represent.

Frequently mentioned is the lack of affordable grocery stores in the area. Many feel that city/county regulations, especially around funding and red tape is chasing away potential food retailers. The ever increasing cost of gas makes driving to the north side for every single need prohibitive.

Many folks in my area have said that poor road conditions have caused damage to their cars. The heavy truck traffic is rough on our roads, and many streets are in need of repair. It seems to me that our roads used to have better maintenance when potholes were taken care of during dry weather, and the repairs would last longer. Also, many complain that their roads are not plowed after a snowfall until they call the county to complain.   

Tell the voters about yourself

I'm a mother of 2 daughters, and grandmother of 4 beautiful grandchildren. For most of my daughters' lives, I was a single mom. I made mistakes, but quickly learned that if I couldn't afford something, I'd have to do without it. I spend time caring for my dad, who will be 100 years old in July.  A veteran of both the Army and the Navy, this guy is like the Energizer Bunny! He square dances, plays ping pong, belongs to Silver Sneakers and flies model airplanes.

I've lived in Janesville for 69 years. I’ve worked as a hairdresser and nurse. I retired from nursing in 2013 to do in home hospice care for my husband. I have great compassion for the elderly and the hardworking people of this community and want to see them enjoy the benefits of their labor without struggling to keep their heads above water

How did the board do in the last two years?

I've attended many county board meetings in the past 2 years, observing and learning and sometimes speaking, especially on medical issues, such as doctor/patient relationships.  I also spoke out on the evils of child trafficking, and the horrors suffered by children and young adults who have been victimized by it.

Sexual exploitation, torture, forced drugging and even death, and even worse, that many in the community and the county board are NOT aware of. 

I noted that the board had many discussions and disagreements where Board members and leadership followed neither board rules nor the rules of civilized behavior.

It seemed to me that many members pushed their own agendas and special interests rather than represent their whole community. The board needs to learn to respect opposing opinions and those expressing them and follow proper protocols and rules of order. Respect and tolerance often seemed lacking. If elected, I hope to be civil and respectful and to be treated accordingly.