My endorsement of John Belanger for Sheboygan Mayor

Belanger is a tested leader who has a proven track record of fighting for Sheboyganites

I am excited to endorse John Belanger for Sheboygan Mayor.

Mr. Belanger is a tested leader who has a proven track record of fighting for Sheboyganites. He is a common-sense conservative who looks out for the hard-working taxpayers who call Sheboygan home. If elected, Belanger has promised to me that he will focus on addressing homelessness and bring transparency back to city government. He will also focus on economic development, something I am passionate about given my background.

Ryan Sorenson, our current mayor, has been a complete failure. Belanger, on the other hand, is quite successful — just like me. We need a mayor who is intelligent and respectful above all else. I have been delighted with Belanger’s work as alderperson and I know he will turn things around for our community.

Sheboyganites have lost trust in Mayor Ryan Sorenson because of his inability to get things done and tell the truth. His first term has been riddled with one scandal after another. City Hall has become merely a place for Sorenson to play politics, reward his friends, and bully perceived opponents who disagree with him.

For these reasons, Ryan Sorenson does not deserve to be re-elected and earn $316,118 from taxpayers. Sorenson isn't interested in the advancement of Sheboygan; he's interested in his own advancement: he fought for a $15,000 pay increase for himself. He didn't stop there. He also fought for 3.5% annual increases in his salary on top of his $15k pay bump. While Sheboyganites are struggling, Sorenson is getting a 26% pay increase despite his failed leadership.

Cutesy time is over for Ryan Sorenson.

Sheboygan needs new leadership and a new direction. We need to stop talking about fixing our crumbling streets and actually repave them! We need to strengthen our neighborhoods, stop wasteful spending, and make our city a hub for innovation and new business once again. The challenges facing Sheboygan are complicated and inexorably intertwined. Each affects the other and must be addressed holistically to re-establish a healthy city.

It is time for real change in how Sheboygan is managed. The people deserve real transparency. They deserve access to their mayor and the ability to ask questions directly and through a more open relationship between the mayor and City Hall. They deserve a data-driven, performance-based city government that doesn’t sweep bad news under the rug but rather confronts it and works to solve problems.

Sheboygan needs a new mayor who will be a champion for taxpayers, who will restore honesty, transparency and trust to our government. No more shady back room deals that only benefit a select few. We will never solve the problems facing the city if we can’t trust the mayor to do what’s right.

Sheboygan deserves better.

Please join with me in voting for Mr. Belanger for Mayor on Tuesday, April 1st.

— Asher Heimermann