State Sen. Chris Kapenga, a Republican, has announced that he is running for Waukesha County Executive. We asked him 4 questions – why are you running, what are the top three issues you want to tackle as county executive, what is your biography, and what are your top accomplishments. You can read his answers below in full.
The other candidate running in the December special election to replace the late Paul Farrow is state Rep. Adam Neylon, also a Republican. We previously published Neylon’s responses here.
Chris Kapenga Responds
1. Why are you running for Waukesha County Executive?
There was once a young service tech who was trying to repair a boat motor that was not starting. After several days of working on it he was unable to determine the cause of the problem. He went to the owner and let him know he couldn’t figure it out, but he knew of an older repair tech he knew who likely would be able to figure out the problem because of his depth of experience. They called the old guy and he showed up with his little tool box. He came in and walked around the engine, had them try to start it a couple of times, and then walked around it again with his ear to it in different places. After about 10 minutes he went to his tool box, grabbed a screwdriver, and lightly tapped the engine with the handle of it. He told them to try it again, and the engine started right up. They were amazed, said thank you, and they all went on their way. A few days later the owner received an invoice from the old repair guy for $700. He was a bit upset, so he contacted the old repair guy and asked about the bill. He was told $20 was for the time, and the $680 was for knowing where to tap it.
I am the old repair guy and I am here to help fix the problem of a bloated and inefficient county government. You can’t do that without the experience of…well….having done it. Wisdom is the application of experience to knowledge. It’s something you can’t fake, and I know that first hand from my many mistakes trying in my younger years.
2. What are the top 3 issues you want to tackle as county executive?
A) Waukesha County has increased spending every budget cycle. This last budget cycle, leadership tried to push through a sales tax increase in addition to their standard property tax increase. It is clear they need help in figuring out how to remedy this problem through reduced spending, not taxing people more. It’s reducing people’s tax burden through increased efficiency in operations, limiting activities to only those that are the responsibility of a limited government, and making every dollar go further. I have more than 30 years private sector experience as an operations and financial expert. Note you can’t gut-cut your way to success in any organization, private or public. Listen, learn, adjust, monitor. Then repeat.
B) Waukesha County is facing an affordability crisis with both housing for young families and commercial space for business. At the same time the County holds a significant inventory of under-utilized, and un-utilized, property that can be sold and developed to help both of those issues. This would also help generate property tax revenue from currently untaxed land, which would then allow residents to keep more money in their bank account.
C) Milwaukee crime is corroding the integrity of our neighborhoods and sucking up a large portion of our law enforcement budget. We are going to build a law-wall to put a stop to it. Now, if the criminals want to jump across it, we have plenty of work projects to keep them busy during their stay here instead of just lounging around all day. They will learn how to work and at the same time reduce costs to our residents. I will also make sure the county jail isn’t ever mistaken for a country club.
3. What is your biography?
- I love Jesus for what He did for all of us
- Husband of one amazing wife living in Delafield, and father to two great adult children who we love spending time with
- My wife and I own an 18,000 sq ft manufacturing plant in Waukesha where our talented team runs the day-to-day operations of making beautiful parts out of chunks of metal for the industrial sector. This is our third company.
- I started my career as a CPA for 7 years doing financial audits for mostly Fortune 100 manufacturing companies, including the two largest furniture manufacturing companies in the world.
- I then spent a couple of years on the finance team at GE helping to manage a multi-billion dollar budget for North, Central and South America.
- Grew up on a hog farm where we also cash-cropped about 700 acres, so I always remind myself that I am just an unsophisticated pig farmer.
- For fun, I am a private pilot and love hiking in the mountains.
4. What are your accomplishments?
- Staying married to the same woman for 30+ years, in spite of her being more intelligent and much better looking.
- Sticking to Republican principals of limited government after 16 years of public service, even when under pressure to cave from people in both parties to do so for “friends”. My “friends” are the people who pay my salary and that I work for. My business colleagues are those I work with and who work in government. Too many in public service start getting that allegiance confused, which is when they become politicians. I won’t be that guy, nor do I care if that ruffles some feathers.
- I have finally been able to over-come my addiction to Nacho Cheese Doritos and I run a half-marathon every January to celebrate that. Note I do allow myself one bag after the run.
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