The Board of Commissioners is responsible, among other things, for passing resolutions, adopting the budget, appointing committees and hiring the county’s chief administrative officer. The board is elected within their respective districts. Board members are elected to four-year terms, staggered, with three or four members elected every two years. — from the county website
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PDF of Douglas County Voters’ Guide | Find voter information specific to your ballot at vote411.org.
Candidates for Douglas County Commissioner, District 2
James Cavanaugh (D): Web Site: http://www.votecavanaugh.com/. Current Public Office, dates held: Douglas County Commissioner, January 2015 to the present. Past Public Office, dates held: None. Education: St. Mary’s Grade School; Creighton Preparatory School; Creighton University, B.A.; Creighton University School of Law, J.D. Military experience: Did not have the privilege of serving. Volunteer experience: Board member of: Douglas County Health Center Foundation; Justice for Our Neighbors; Omaha Irish Cultural Center. Nebraska Humanities Council Speakers Bureau. Member of: Sierra Club; Dundee Memorial Park Neighborhood Assoc.; Neighborhood Watch.
Larry Roland (R): No response received.
Douglas County Commissioner, District 2, Candidates’ Responses
What do you see as the three most compelling problems facing your office?
James Cavanaugh: Tax reduction, eliminate waste, better mental health services. We must do the public’s business in public. We work for you. Tax dollars are your dollars. I helped lead the voter approved 2016 Public Safety Bond which is saving millions in tax dollars, updating the 911 system, and Fire Station Alert System,: with no tax increase.
I’ll tell the truth, show the courage to involve the public in major projects, and use common sense to resist wasteful spending. Working together we can do better.
Larry Roland: No response received.
What element of the county’s government is most effective and why?
James Cavanaugh: Our Douglas County Health Center provides the highest quality long term health care. I work to meet our critical health care needs. I work to make county government open. My job as your public servant is to keep the public informed about how our tax dollars are used and have the courage to hold public hearings on important issues, like the juvenile justice proposals: and let the public vote. This will lead to better, less expensive, common sense solutions. Truth, courage, and common sense.
Larry Roland: No response received.
What are some ways to provide property tax relief without cutting vital services? Are there any services you think should be cut and, if so, why?
James Cavanaugh: At the September County Board meeting I noted the County has a surplus and I proposed a property tax rate cut. Common sense decisions permit cutting costs and improving services. For example, the 2016 Public Safety Bond that the voters approved provides solutions that cut costs, improves services, and does so without requiring a tax increase. I work hard to bring these better, smarter, more affordable solutions to of the challenges Douglas County faces. Working together we have done better.
Larry Roland: No response received.
Candidates for Douglas County Commissioner, District 4
PJ Morgan (R): No response received.
Candidates for Douglas County Commissioner, District 6
Mary Ann Borgeson (R): Current Public Office, dates held: Douglas County Commissioner 1995 to Present. Education: Daniel J Gross High School University of Nebraska @ Omaha Immanuel School of Radiology. Volunteer experience: I love serving people and sit on the Board of Directors for a number of Community and State Organizations: Millard Business Community Foundation, Aksarben Future Trust, CWS, R.E.S.P.E.C.T., PromiseShip, Governors Human Trafficking Task Force.
Douglas County Commissioner, District 6, Candidates’ Responses
What do you see as the three most compelling problems facing your office?
Mary Ann Borgeson: The three most compelling problems facing Douglas County 1) Property tax relief, 2) Increase costs in the criminal justice systems and increasing mental health needs at our youth center and adult correction facility and 3) Managing the decrease in revenue (Medicaid) at our long term care and community mental health facility.
What element of the county’s government is most effective and why?
Mary Ann Borgeson: Community corrections are sanctions imposed on convicted adults or adjudicated juveniles that occur in a residential or community setting outside of jail or prison. The sanctions are enforced by agencies or courts with legal authority over the adult or juvenile offenders. Community based programs such as, drug/veteran courts, electronic monitoring, day reporting, intensive case management and probation reduce institutional overcrowding, provide rehabilitation and are less costly to the taxpayer.
What are some ways to provide property tax relief without cutting vital services? Are there any services you think should be cut and, if so, why?
Mary Ann Borgeson: Property tax relief without cutting vital services can be accomplished by working in partnership with federal and state representatives to stop the tax shifts and passage of unfunded mandates. Working with other counties through interlocal agreements provide economy of scale and produce cost savings to the taxpayers. Also, having an open and thorough budgeting process from start to finish. Services that are not mandated by the federal or state government could be eliminated to produce savings.
