“What more is necessary to make us a happy and prosperous people?…A wise and frugal government…which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.” -Thomas Jefferson
Support the Economy – work to create a more favorable business climate by reducing government burdens and regulations that interfere with growth and prosperity of businesses in the private sector.
- Support measures to retain or attract businesses to the area
- Focus on Jobs and better Career Opportunities
- Foster innovative, sensible Economic Development
As small business owners in the tourism and hospitality industry, my wife and I are heavily invested in the local economy. Furthermore, when I served as a commercial real estate agent, I had a front row seat to the local economy’s activities and had the privilege of helping over two hundred fifty businesses start up, expand, or relocate in northeast Indiana. I understand that the private sector drives the economy, spawns innovation necessary for growth, and creates jobs.
Government functions at its best when it establishes an ordered, business-friendly environment. It operates outside of its capabilities when it tries to be a direct job creator. Therefore, I don’t support every economic development demand for taxpayer money. We need leaders who know how the economy really works, not who are generous with tax dollars. To this end, I served on the City/County Joint Tax Abatement Committee, which reformed our tax abatement system to balance the need for fostering economic development while limiting the generosity of abatements for businesses that weren’t creating new jobs. The result has been a streamlined system which has helped facilitate billions in investment and thousands of new jobs over the last decade.