Whitefish Bay Village Board Voter's Guide

Carl Fuda

Age: 55

Employer/occupation: co-owner, Kitzinger Lautmann Capital Management

Education: business/mathematics St. Norbert College; MBA Marquette University

Contact: (414) 687-8934; cjfuda@klcminc.com

Gov. Walker has proposed a continuation of the tax levy freeze for the next two years. How should the village balance its budget with that limit in place?

The village must continue to review budgets and find savings. We were quite successful on that front recently, saving several hundred thousand dollars in insurance premiums. We should also consider working with the School District in finding operational synergies in non-mission critical areas.

Why would you support or not support a consolidated Shorewood/Whitefish Bay/Glendale Police Department?

Combining essential police services with Shorewood and Glendale is not something I would pursue. We have high expectations from our police and they are doing a good job. We need more measures in place that help us maintain a safe neighborhood. Consolidating police forces is not one of those measures.

As a board member, what would you do to improve the Silver Spring business district?

Continued Silver Spring development should be done from the bottom up. My approach would be to meet with all existing stakeholders (I have already spoken with several Silver Spring business owners). I would also plan on meeting with outside developers/people who are looking for business opportunities. Looking at every project on a stand-alone basis, and making sure it can work and fit in, will ensure a durable business district. Recent successes (City Market and the in-process Mandel development) are good examples of the type of projects that we should be interested in.

Kevin McMahon

Age: 48

Employer/occupation: stay-at-home parent, previously account management/sales

Education: bachelor's in business administration, concentration in marketing, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Contact: (414) 964-9672; mcwfb@att.net

Gov. Walker has proposed a continuation of the tax levy freeze for the next two years. How should the village balance its budget with that limit in place?

This is a process each municipality goes through every year. The board will continue to investigate the village's entire budget to look for potential savings and will need to maximize revenue opportunities to keep the budget in line.

Why would you support or not support a consolidated Shorewood/Whitefish Bay/Glendale Police Department?

While the idea of consolidation looks good on paper, I don't think it would work. The three municipalities have too many differences; population, geography, traffic, business environment, etc. Where would the main station be located? Would there be enough of a police presence in the Bay?

As a board member, what would you do to improve the Silver Spring business district?

The board should continue to provide incentives for businesses to come in and stay in the Bay. We've seen recent success with a new bike shop and restaurant opening soon, plus the upcoming Mandel apartment project should hopefully bring even more traffic to Silver Spring. While there are differences, we should also look at what Shorewood has done with the northern end of Oakland Avenue.

Jay Miller (i)

Age: 63

Employer/occupation: adjunct professor at University Wisconsin-Milwaukee, tax attorney

Education: LLM degree, taxation, New York University School of Law, JD degree, University of Arizona College of Law, BA degree, Duke University

Contact: (414) 232-7087; jaymiller16@gmail.com

Gov. Walker has proposed a continuation of the tax levy freeze for the next two years. How should the village balance its budget with that limit in place?

Last year we balanced the budget with a levy increase limited to two-thirds of one percent. We can employ the same process to meet a freeze. Also, by switching to a single health insurance carrier (but not reducing coverage) for employees the village is saving $622,000. That will help, too.

Why would you support or not support a consolidated Shorewood/Whitefish Bay/Glendale Police Department?

I would oppose consolidation of police departments unless public safety for the village would be enhanced and costs reduced. Glendale and Shorewood have higher crime rates than Whitefish Bay and Shorewood needs a new structure to house its department, whereas we don't. Those factors argue strongly against consolidation.

As a board member, what would you do to improve the Silver Spring business district?

The village already has two new restaurants that will be moving into vacant spaces. Also, a national bike store is taking over the Les Moise space. Besides that, the beginning of the Mandel apartment construction project behind the Fox Bay and Fitzgerald's will provide a boost for the business district.(Note: Parking will be preserved.) We are doing all this without using nearly as much taxpayer money as Shorewood has to lure businesses here. Yes, more needs to be done, but in the next year there will be a significant commercial upswing on Silver Spring.

Ken Wysocky

Age: 54

Employer/occupation: freelance journalist/editor

Education: B.A. Journalism, University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh

Contact: (414) 962-6202, kwysocky@ wi.rr.com

Gov. Walker has proposed a continuation of the tax levy freeze for the next two years. How should the village balance its budget with that limit in place?

From the outside looking in, it's difficult to recommend specific budget strategies. But I firmly believe all government bodies should constantly scrutinize their spending to ensure they provide core services in the most cost-effective way. There's always some fat to trim; the village must tighten its belt just like residents.

Why would you support or not support a consolidated Shorewood/Whitefish Bay/Glendale Police Department?

I would only support a consolidated police department if it generates significant cost savings without sacrificing the public safety and welfare of village residents. We can't afford to be parochial, so I think it's a concept worth examining. But we also should approach it with a healthy sense of skepticism.

As a board member, what would you do to improve the Silver Spring business district?

On one hand, I'm generally opposed to government subsidies for businesses: I believe they should succeed or fail on their own merits in a free marketplace. On the other hand, I also realize the village must remain competitive with other communities that offer incentives, and we badly need a reasonably priced family-friendly restaurant to anchor the Silver Spring Drive corridor. As such, I would support renewing the village's $100,000 contribution to the retail incentive-grant program, as long as recipients receive thorough vetting. The village should also develop strong relationships with business owners to ensure it's as business-friendly as possible.