Lisa Metcalfe - Candidate Questionnaire
QUESTION: What are the reasons you are running for county commissioner?
METCALFE: I'm running to be the voice of integrity for the taxpayers of Butler County. I'm running on lower taxes, efficiency in government and improving infrastructure for job creation.
I've worked alongside my father, state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe. I was 11 years old back when he ran in 1998 and I've seen that one man can't do it all but one man can make a difference.
I will use my valuable private sector experience to serve the taxpayers of Butler County. I've worked with customers worldwide, I've negotiated with vendors to create efficiencies in the company I worked for and the company that I currently work for, and I'm going to put it to work for the taxpayers if I'm elected.
My first priority is to review the county budget to look for inefficiencies.
QUESTION: What services should Butler County provide its senior citizens? Should its 10 senior centers remain open or should some or all be closed or consolidated?
METCALFE: Well, first of all, the senior centers might be addressed before the new commissioners are elected to office. So this might be an issue that the new county commissioners might not be dealing with when they take office in January.
But if this is something that the new commissioners will have to deal with and take a look at, I believe there are questions that are unanswered. I have many questions that I would like to ask myself.
I believe that we need to make sure that, if funding is specifically given to those senior centers, it is being used and that we are efficiently using that money and we are putting it to the best use for the taxpayers.
QUESTION: What is your view of the county budget? Should revenue increase to meet rising costs or should expenses be cut? Explain your specific proposals.
METCALFE: As I mentioned earlier, my first priority would be to review the county budget.
As my platform, I'm running on lower taxes and efficiency in government. I believe the burden is too high on the taxpayers. I think the government spends too much and needs to learn to live within its means, and I think the county government is currently disconnected with the taxpayers.
For example, I read in recent articles of county employees receiving pay raises of 12 percent, 25 percent and the Children and Youth Services attorneys, they just got a 27 percent raise this year. So, I think it shows a disconnection.
Individuals in the private sector, they're unemployed or they're not receiving pay raises like this, if at all; they pay a higher health care premium and I pledge that I will not vote for a tax increase. If elected, I'm going to be there to protect the taxpayers and to create efficiencies.
QUESTION: How much should the county commissioners and county residents be allowed to talk at commissioners meetings?
METCALFE: I think it should be open to the public. I don't think there should be a three-minute limit. I think that's not a lot of time to get someone to talk.
We just had our debate, and we had a one-minute intro and three minutes in between. That went pretty fast, so three minutes doesn't give you a lot of time to say something.
I think we should be holding evening meetings. Right now, a lot of their meetings are during the day. I think we should have them in the evenings as well, so that working individuals can attend those meetings and so that the taxpayers can be heard from.
QUESTION: Explain what you think should be the role of the county commissioners in their oversight of county agencies such as the housing and redevelopment authority, the county industrial authority, the tourism bureau, the planning commission?
METCALFE: Currently, the role of the county commissioners, their biggest role is the county budget. They should be there to make sure that we're serving the taxpayers and that it's being efficiently used.
If elected, I will make sure that county government is limited and that it's more efficient. I will be there to serve the taxpayers. I think that entitlements are costing taxpayers too much. If they get the tax dollars, then I believe that it should be in the taxpayer's sight so that the taxpayers know where the money goes.
There should be more oversight.
QUESTION:What role do you think the county commissioners should have in economic development in the county?
METCALFE: I believe in a free market system. I believe individuals should exchange services without government coercion.
As I stated, I'm running on a platform of lower taxes, efficiency in government and improving infrastructure for job creation. So, as far as the unified plan, I don't agree with the unified plan. I believe that it needs to be a free market.
I believe that my platform leads to economic growth, and it leads to the domino effect. I believe that if we have lower taxes, I believe individuals will stay here in Butler County. I believe that the businesses that we already have here will stay here. I believe we can attract new businesses and attract more people to live here in Butler County.
The county commissioners typically hold seats on the SPC, and we get five seats on the SPC, which is to prioritize state and federal funding for improvements to our roads and bridges. Typically, three of the county commissioners sit on there — right now, one of our county commissioners wasn't able to hold a seat on there — but typically all three sit on there. You get two other appointees.
I'm an advocate of appointing business leaders and not bureaucrats, because our business leaders will bring negotiation skills to the table and not wish lists, like bureaucrats.
QUESTION: What role do you think the county commissioners should have in helping to coordinate with community services such as water and sewer authorities, emergency medical services, bus transportation?
METCALFE: The role of the county commissioners, as I stated, their first priority is the county budget.
They work with the other officials, they oversee the row offices, they oversee risk management, insurance consideration. They oversee purchasing, contracts, human services, corrections, the election bureau. They oversee public works, personnel; that's their role, so that's what they should be doing.
