Green Bay City Council District 1: Jennifer Grant seeks 2nd term, Barbara Dorff a return to council

GREEN BAY - Voters on Green Bay's northeast side on April 2 will decide whether incumbent Jennifer Grant or challenger Barbara Dorff will represent them for a two-year term on the Green Bay City Council.

District 1 voters have been represented by Grant, a client services representative, or Dorff, a retired educator, since 2016. Dorff won three consecutive two-year terms before Grant unseated Dorff in 2022.

The two candidates are vying to represent District 1, which covers a wide swath of Green Bay's northeast and far east sides. The district includes the UW-Green Bay campus and the Red Smith, Mahon Creek, and Schmitt Park neighborhoods.

Ahead of the April 2 election, the Press-Gazette requested each City Council candidate provide some background about themselves and answer several questions on issues like funding road construction, spending and housing. Responses were limited to about 200 words. Candidates are listed alphabetically.

For information about registering to vote and polling locations, visit the MyVote Wisconsin website at myvote.wi.gov/en-us.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Barbara Dorff

• Age: 69
• Occupation: Retired educator, community volunteer
• Highest level of education: Master's degree, counselor education post masters in leadership, UW-Platteville and UW-Madison
• Campaign website: www.barbaradorff.com
• Why are you running? I believe in city government supporting progress and ensuring a safe, welcoming place to live, work, and play for everyone. I believe in fiscal responsibility that supports the delivery of prompt, dependable public services. I believe in preserving our environment, including protecting the bay of Green Bay, reducing flooding, and providing well-maintained infrastructure. My voice and vote on the City Council will support these beliefs and help make Green Bay a better city for us all.
• What two issues most need to be addressed in Green Bay: Economic development that includes affordable housing and infrastructure improvements while addressing environmental concerns.

Jennifer Grant

• Age: 38
• Occupation: Registered client associate
• Highest level of education: Bachelor's degree in hospital management from Lakeland University
• Campaign website: Jennifer Grant for City Council
• Why are you running? I am seeking another term to continue the necessary work to improve our neighborhood and the city we all love. Before I was elected, our city government was acrimonious. I am proud of our results over the last two years and would like to continue representing our district with a positive voice. We need a representative who can look at issues independently. I will never be a rubber stamp, and I’m not afraid to ask tough questions. I stand strong on important principles and advocate for policies that help us. I also speak against ideas and issues that hurt us or deepen our political divide.
• What two issues most need to be addressed in Green Bay: Green Bay is facing significant facility needs including a fire station, central police building, upgrades to city hall, and parking structures. Although these needs were known for years, we didn’t have a viable replacement strategy. I collaborated with Alder Eck to secure a million dollars of ARPA funds to purchase land for a new fire station which was recently purchased, alleviating taxpayers from that cost. We also secured a $10,000 private donation to form the Green Bay Metro Fire Department Foundation to keep firefighters, paramedics, and our community safe. About public safety, I have focused on preventing sex trafficking and was a leading force behind adopting two ordinances to protect women and children from exploitation. With Green Bay hosting the NFL draft next year, I want to use my position and voice to work with local organizations to raise awareness as hundreds of thousands of people visit our city.

Green Bay is currently studying the feasibility of a transportation utility to fund road construction costs like water or sewer service. Why do you support or oppose this idea to replace the wheel tax? 

Dorff: Before I support this idea, information must be provided to the public to ensure their understanding, and their input must be heard. This concept is unfamiliar to most people, and the potential benefits and drawbacks must be explained.

A transportation utility funds improvements in infrastructure using fees that treat the transportation system like a water or sewer utility. Property owners and businesses are charged fees based on their use of the transportation system rather than taxes based on the value of their property or the $20 wheel tax.

A transportation utility fee would replace much more than the wheel tax. The impact on property taxes would need to be communicated. More research needs to be done before making decisions about a transportation utility.

Grant: It is too early to decide. I voted for the study to responsibly explore this option. Overall, we need to be fiscally prudent and equitable to all property owners and drivers.  Prior to my time in office the wheel tax was enacted to primarily remove special assessments on residential property owners and reduce the cost of such for businesses. Without it, many of you would pay thousands of dollars to have your road resurfaced or reconstructed. That financial impact devastates family budgets.

It is important to note that transportation utilities have faced significant legal challenges in other municipalities. We would be one of the largest cities to attempt this. The study is needed to determine the best course of action. The city can’t afford another lawsuit if it can be prevented with proper due diligence prior to a vote.

The bottom line is the city is not replacing roads fast enough. We need solutions. The transportation utility may be the answer.

How can Green Bay better address residents' need for affordable housing and the general shortage of housing units?

Dorff: In January of 2023, the city of Green Bay’s Equal Rights Commission completed a comprehensive study that offers recommendations to ensure that all of Green Bay’s citizens have fair and equal access to housing.

I support the ERC’s recommendations to help all of Green Bay’s citizens understand their rights as tenants by holding training for landlords, providing a resource guide for renters translated into various languages, and deepening support for tenant advocacy by hiring a full-time housing investigator.

Developers could be incentivized to make a minimum number of affordable units within new housing developments.

The city should also ensure that contractors and developers can work efficiently and quickly with city zoning and building staff to get plans approved.

Grant: The lack of affordable housing is a nationwide crisis. Green Bay has seen our struggles, too. Unfortunately, in the past we were tagged with a reputation among developers for being hard to work with. We have made tremendous strides in improving customer service, and the permitting and inspection processes. Several large housing developments have broken ground, offering a mix of housing options, providing housing for all.  We need to source tax credits and government funding to offset surging costs to develop housing.

Finally, and this is particularly important, housing developments must be a good fit for neighborhoods. I will always advocate for what is best for our district and city. This requires thorough research, constituent feedback, and realistic plans to address our housing crisis. I have a great rapport with landlords, developers, and you- my neighbors. I’ll continue that as your representative.

Almost any significant budget cut will involve personnel cuts, which impacts city services. If you want to cut property taxes, what services should be cut to do so?

Dorff: I believe the taxpayers in Green Bay, especially in District 1, value prompt and dependable services. I also believe in responsible fiscal spending and management of taxpayer dollars.

Salaries and benefits make up 64.8% of the 2024 total city budget. Police, Fire, DPW, and Parks comprise 71% of the budget. It would be from these areas that services would be reduced with a tax cut.

I don’t believe that cutting services is the answer. Green Bay needs to bring in more economic development to shift the tax burden from individual property owners. The city must seek out state and federal sources for additional funding, and research and apply for relevant grants.

Grant: I disagree with this being either-or. Increasing our tax base with pro-development policies is vital.

The 2023 city budget — my first — was a great case study of being bold in action to deliver favorable results. The previous three budgets increased taxes near the maximum. That trajectory was unsustainable and hurt many of you. I was one of a majority of council members to stand firm against the mayor’s initial budget, forcing change. This resulted in a significant reduction in unnecessary spending during a time changes to property assessments caused panic.

Due to this stand for the taxpayer, the mayor’s 2024 budget was reasonable and passed unanimously. We are paying city employees a fairer wage to avoid losing them to competing municipalities. This avoided a possibility of service cuts to snow plowing, garbage pickup, and yard waste collection.

Huge budget cuts are not the answer. Responsible spending and pro-development policies are.

Green Bay's recent population growth has been driven by our Hispanic, Black, Native American, biracial and Asian communities. Yet recent Wello surveys show nearly one-third of residents feel like Green Bay does not accept people with different ideas. How can the Green Bay City Council help increase acceptance and well-being as we grow?

Dorff: I believe that a vibrant, livable, successful, and productive city is made possible by its diverse residents' talents, contributions, and well-being. As the author and sponsor of the Equal Rights Ordinance in Green Bay, I will continue to support the work of the Equal Rights Commission.

I believe it is essential to seek out input from our Hispanic, biracial, Asian, and LGBTQ+ communities by listening to what they have to say. More citizens from these communities need to be encouraged to run for office. I would also advocate for the appointment of members of these communities to various city committees and commissions so more voices will be heard.

Grant: As the youngest member of city council, I grew up within the growing diversity of our city. It hurts me to think people of various racial backgrounds don’t feel accepted in Green Bay. Following visibility sessions of our Equal Rights Commission, we will hear from all community voices.

Sadly, though, there are situations beyond city council control. A recent example was when past and current institutional powers within our school district reacted without considering the impacts to racial minorities.

While I disagree with some of the comments from our former GBAPS superintendent, his sentiments resonated with untold numbers of residents who don’t have a seat at the table. Now he is gone, the sole racial minority resigned from our school board, and a future superintendent must pick up the pieces. The scars will take a long time to heal, if ever. Our city council can learn from those failures of communication and seek feedback from all.

Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 orjbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier.