Disclaimer
Disclaimer
Concerning the billboards in Le Sueur County that promote support for NEW Commissioners –
“This is an independent expenditure prepared and paid for by “We Are The Taxpayer LLC”
PO Box 62, Le Center, MN 56057.
It is not coordinated with or approved by any candidate nor is any candidate responsible for it.”
The billboards were created, produced and paid for
without the approval of, collaboration with, or authorization of the candidates
that are supported by name on the billboards.
Reasons to Elect NEW Commissioners
#1 There are many expenditures being approved by the current board of commissioners that are not of necessity and serve only select groups of people.
There are many expenditures being approved by the current board of commissioners that are not of necessity and serve only select groups of people. Extra programs and frills are perfectly fine if the economy is bright and bustling, but when people are stretching their dollars to make ends meet, our commissioners need to place themselves in the position of the people they are representing. Too often we end up with commissioners that are themselves retired and living on stable incomes that have long forgot the young years of raising a family and needing to budget their money. Some of the current commissioners came in with deep ties to big government, others have held the position long enough to develop those connections. It would best serve the taxpayers of Le Sueur County to have as few directives from, and obligations to, state and federal government and NGOs as possible. Every program they hook a county or community on costs money.
#2 Under the authority of the current board of commissioners, it appears that Le Sueur County government has been transformed into operating as a business—
rather than a service – to the very taxpayers that are forced to financially support it. Unlimited rules, regulations, restrictions and fees are being imposed upon the citizens by our local County government. Le Sueur County appears to be operating under the rule of tyranny as opposed to democracy.
Just two examples of this determination are:
(1) A property owner of 40 acres in rural Le Sueur County set about to preserve wood from a barn that had been taken down. His intent was to build an open-air hovel. His total cost for the simple structure on his private, rural land would be $50.00 in hardware. He had installed 9 reclaimed electric posts when a neighbor jokingly asked if he had a permit for the project. The property owner took the question seriously and inquired with the County only to find that – yes, there is a $200.00 permit fee for his project due to the size and height of it being beyond what County officials deem allowable for a private property owner to erect on their own personal property. The size limit before needing County permission is 10’ x 10’ not to exceed 10’ in height. The County sets the rules for personal home projects and sets the fees required to obtain permission (a permit), for them.
Prior to granting a permit for the project, the property owner was required to have an inspection done of his above ground mound septic system, which cost him $348.00. Two weeks after the septic system passed the inspection, the septic system inspector was back at the residence stating the County was now requiring soil samples from the ground around the mound system. This was all a good month or more ago, and the homeowner is still waiting to hear if a permit will be granted after investing $548.00, to go ahead with a very simple project on his own property.
(2) This next bit of financial information will be of interest to all property owners that were forced to pay into one of the County Ditch Funds. At a commissioners’ meeting this spring, Commissioner O’Keefe thanked the Auditor-Treasurer for helping to bring the Ditch Fund out of the red. In 2020, the ditch fund was a million dollars in the hole. By the end of 2025, the ditch fund was 1.9 million to the good. That did not happen without a lot of money being taken from the taxpayers.
#3 The current Board of Commissioners have centralized a lot of power and control into the hands of a few individuals.
One of the most egregious examples of this are the multiple hats worn by Aaron Stubbs:
- The Le Sueur County Planning & Zoning Administrator
- The Le Sueur County Environmental Services Director
- The Le Sueur County Assistant Administrator
These are not listed here in order of importance or the role most often exercised. The last title, “Le Sueur County Assistant Administrator,” will be hard for anyone to track down on the County Website, yet was definitely awarded by unanimous approved vote of the Commissioners.
These combined job titles afford Mr. Stubbs a 2026 salary of $159,544.00 This is a 6.5% increase from 2025, and is equivalent to 90% of the County Administrator’s salary. His salary is set to rise as he has not topped out on the wage scale. Approved by the commissioners.
To be given all this power over decision making within county affairs affords little accountability. There are no checks and balances. It is whatever the Planning & Zoning Administrator/Environmental Services Director/Assistant County Administrator determines. All approved and put in place by the commissioners.
Anyone with an ounce of logic will see this for what it is – way too much control given to one person over the entire population of Le Sueur County.
What is the recent “commissioner approved” Comprehensive Land Use Plan about? Control over decisions on the use of the land – both public and private.
What are many major decisions and ordinances on Land Use based on? Environmental concerns. Approved by the commissioners!
Where does the majority of the County revenue come from? The tax levy – funded primarily through property taxes on the land. Approved by the commissioners.
Where do the most restrictive uses of private property by a land owner originate? In Planning & Zoning. Approved by the commissioners.
Where do the fees that are charged for “permission” to carry-out a person’s wishes on a home building project, business adventure, or hobby originate? From the same persons that make the rules for Planning & Zoning with Environmental Services authority and Administrative rule. All are approved by the commissioners.
While recognizing there is a need for some rules and regulations, logic again comes into play when we recognize there have been guiding principles employed in land use all along. Neighbors have always had rules against encroaching on another persons property or the ability to enjoy use of their land. The current rules being enacted with approval of the county commissioners goes way beyond what is acceptable for local government to impose on its people. The fees and restrictions are not conducive to the rights of the people. The financial burdens placed on the citizens are nothing short of robbery.
Le Sueur County would greatly benefit by electing commissioners that can think for themselves and demand the necessity of checks and balances in every department and with every person employed, regardless of title. The ease of sitting in a commissioner’s seat giving “rubber-stamp” approval to every thought and program that is brought before them must end.
We need new leadership and the only way we will get that is by electing new commissioners.
#4 Programs expanding the welfare state are supported by the current board of commissioners.
One example of this burden to the taxpayer is found in the city of Le Sueur.
As the county has a prepared Land Use Plan, each city had been encouraged to do so too. The city of Le Sueur plans for population growth and expanding city limits to approximately twice the current size.
With a poverty rate of 12.7% compared to Le Sueur County at 6.4%, the city has recognized the presence of “Adverse Childhood Experiences” (ACES), which include child abuse, neglect and trauma.
Statistically, the higher the rate of poverty in a community, the more prevalent stressors are that can lead to ACES. Contributing factors can be loss of income, or even immigrants brought into a community, especially from foreign countries due to the language barrier, the cultural differences, and familial norms for acceptable family interaction and discipline, which may differ widely from our culture. We can be sure that immigration is a factor in Le Sueur as the city held a celebration in February titled “’Rally for the Valley’ in support of your immigrant neighbors.” This came with a request for cash donations and food to support families in need, documenting the poverty aspect as well.
With intent to reduce cases of ACES, a team of county employees operating under the name of “The Le Sueur County Integrated Children’s Mental Health and Family Services Collaborative and the Community Resilience Planning Team” has been engaged [since 2024] in discerning the establishment of a “Family Resource Center” in the city of Le Sueur (and Montgomery). The center would be a one-stop-spot where families on public assistance could get all of their needs and service applications met under one roof. This would bring county services and personnel to the city of Le Sueur, eliminating the need for transportation of low income recipients to Le Center. It was pointed out that this arrangement would also alleviate the “stigma” persons endure when seen entering a county building for services.
Providing these services in an all inclusive environment is supposedly the anecdote to reduce ACES and save money spent on child welfare cases. Whether that would actually play out or not is questionable. Of major concern here is the additional financial support this would demand from the taxpayers. Would the savings be returned to the taxpayers or used by the county for other projects?
The city of Le Sueur has recently applied for and received a $75,000.00 grant from the Greater Minnesota Small Cities Housing Aid Grant Program to use toward affordable housing development. Does this indicate that there may be additional poverty stricken new residents brought into the community to live in the “affordable” housing and make use of the Family Resource Center?
Some provisions requested at the center go far beyond basic necessities. The suggested list includes: providing social connections for adults; parenting support groups and programs; culturally specific activities; walking clubs; public gathering spaces and adult gathering areas with coffee; drop-in child care; free youth activities – an open gym or a place to hang out; and Social Emotional Learning activities for the children. The project will also expand access to mental health services and offer low and no-barrier supports for nutrition, physical activity, and developing self-regulation skills.
Add up the expenses for these amenities and duplicated services, additional building maintenance and staff, heat and cooling costs, electricity, supplies, additional county employees, county vehicles and gas for travel, and we can see this as a created creature that will eat off of the taxpayer. Securing children in a safe environment is one thing, providing social interaction and activities is another.
Residents in the city of Le Sueur are already faced with extremely high taxes and we can be certain that additional funding will come from the county taxpayer as well. Yet, when findings of the proposed center were presented to the commissioners a lot of positive comments were received from them.
As Margaret Thatcher said, “Sooner or later you run out of other people’s money.”
We need to elect new county commissioners.