Ryan Bottger
Four candidates are running for the District 1 Cook County Commissioner seat vacated by Frank Moe, who left office due to concerns about his health. With the primary election in April, two candidates will move on following that vote and compete in the general election in June.
This week the Cook County News- Herald is introducing you to Ryan Bottger.
Ryan Bottger: I grew up in the suburbs of the Twin Cities. My family has a cabin on the Gunflint Trail and I have been coming to Cook County my entire life. I moved to Cook County in 2010, I’ve lived on the Gunflint Trail, in Grand Marais, and then bought my house in the woods north of Hovland in January of 2015. I live there in my own little slice of serenity, off grid.
My career started in the restaurant industry, and I got my introduction to business and leadership early when at 19 I was promoted to general manager of a Jimmy John’s sandwich shop in downtown Saint Paul. My education there served me well as I continued to work management roles in retail and restaurant positions. Many people around the county recognize me from the years that I spent working at Buck’s where I was able to start building many wonderful relationships with the people of the area. I left Buck’s to start my own business and have been doing painting, handyman and carpentry work ever since.
Why are you running for Cook County commissioner?
I am running for this office because I believe I can fill a necessary niche there to help in serving the greater interests of the community. I have heard many concerns about the county government and the majority of them seem to stem from a lack of communication, balance, and understanding, and I feel that I can bring all of those things to the position.
What would you like to see done differently by the commissioners?
The biggest thing I would like to see is improving the level and methods of communication and understanding within and between the community and the board.
How do you think you can best represent your district? And the county?
Being involved and engaged with the District is crucial in accurately representing them. I plan on setting up my own regular times apart from the board schedule to make myself available to the constituents so that I can better balance the concerns of those that I would be representing with the needs and concerns of the county as a whole.
What are some of your strengths? Will you research topics before voting on them?
I strive for balance and respect in all aspects of life. I know the importance of understanding all views on an issue before making a decision. Just because somebody’s opinion differs from yours it does not mean that their viewpoint is any less valid, and the first step to reaching a solution to any problem is identifying what the problem is so that everybody can approach it from the same starting point. I know that without information it is impossible to make an informed decision and research is the way to get there. The trick when doing research is knowing which end of the horse to go to.
Human Services touches us all. Will you fight for current programs to be adequately funded?
Human Services is a huge part of the county budget, and it is there to fit a need. It is a well intended department and most directly services quality of life needs in the community. I don’t see the increasing budget of the PHHS department as an issue of fiscal responsibility, but that of a growing sense of need in the community. Because of that I think that the best strategy would not be cutting funding for programming that is there, but to focus on ways that we can help reduce the needs by supporting preventative methods.
Levies beyond 3-4 percent are seen as regressive (by most counties) and hurt people who have little income or who live on a fixed income. More than 40 percent of Cook County residents are 65 and older and not all of them live on big pensions. Would you work to keep the levy at a more reasonable rate?
Yes. Obviously the levy increase is a big area of concern, and this problem was caused by a lack of foresight in years past. I am looking at this problem as an opportunity to not only emphasize balance between fiscal responsibility and proactive thinking, but also to explore the possibility of a creative revisit of the county funding. This is a complex issue and both of the more traditional solutions, either budget cuts or a higher levy have repercussions. I am staying open to ideas and still gathering information, but having the highest tax levy increase in the state is not a trend that I intend to perpetuate.
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