Shaun's Platform

Union County is growing faster than at any time in our history. Growth is an opportunity — but only if we manage it instead of letting it manage us.

I'll direct development where roads, water, and sewer already exist. It's cheaper to serve, faster to build, and it keeps productive farmland in production. Every new project should pay its own way — a net positive for Union County families, not a cost shifted onto your tax bill. And every land use decision should be anchored in the Union County Comprehensive Plan — the standard, every time.

Property taxes have risen faster than family incomes in Union County. Seniors and young families are being priced out of their own homes. County leaders have to use every available tool to protect taxpayers — and the first step is making sure developers pay the full cost of their projects instead of shifting infrastructure costs onto the rest of us.

Tax abatements and TIFs are tools. Used right, they bring good employers and good jobs to Union County. Used wrong, we hand out breaks to projects that were coming here anyway — and taxpayers pick up the tab. No tax incentive should move forward without a clear, verified benefit to Union County.

A county commissioner makes decisions every week that affect your roads, your water, your tax bill, and whether the next development helps Union County or hurts it. That's not a learn-on-the-job position.

Twenty-two years in the U.S. Army taught me how to make hard calls under pressure. Four generations on a working farm taught me that decisions today shape what you harvest for years to come. Nine years on the Union County Airport Authority Board taught me how county government actually works — budgets, boards, and taxpayer accountability.

I'll listen before I decide, build consensus instead of rubber-stamping, and protect the public trust every single day. Union County deserves a commissioner who's ready on day one.