Madison County Republican candidates push spending controls, oversight and transparency at forum

At a Republican candidate forum in Madison County, four contenders for local office outlined priorities before the June 4 election, focusing on budget restraint, oversight of county projects and better access to government for residents.

Jason Barnes, candidate for sheriff, described operational priorities for the sheriff’s office — keeping deputies equipped and accessible across the county — and urged fiscal vigilance. "Watch our spending," Barnes said, adding that forecasting jail and operations costs is complex and that his office routinely justifies line items to the board.

Terry Kaczynski, candidate for county auditor, said she would "freeze my own salary for four years" if elected and accept only cost-of-living increases thereafter, arguing elected officials should share taxpayers’ fiscal burdens. Kaczynski said the auditor’s broad view of county finances positions the office to look for efficiencies across departments.

Jessica Hobbs, a candidate for county supervisor, urged a 0-based, line-by-line approach to budgeting rather than automatically building on the previous year’s figures. Hobbs also called for stronger oversight of capital projects, citing the county courthouse as an example of work that remains unfinished and over budget, and urged moving public portions of supervisor meetings to evenings so more residents can attend.

Thomas Lowsley, also running for supervisor, emphasized accountability in the supervisors’ office and said the county needs industrial growth to expand the tax base, while warning that cutting services risks driving residents away.

Candidates differed on emphasis but commonly framed spending control and accountability as the means to address recent tax increases and financial strain on residents. Hobbs cited recent tax changes — saying taxes rose "17% last year and over 4% this year" — and urged departmental collaboration to eliminate inefficiencies. Kaczynski and Hobbs both proposed salary restraint for elected officials; Hobbs also proposed additional oversight and professional inspections to protect taxpayers on big projects.

The forum included extended discussion of the county courthouse project: Hobbs said it remains unfinished and urged professional inspections before warranties expire; Lowsley said contracts should include firm end dates and penalties for overruns to prevent poor workmanship from being concealed.

On public safety, Barnes identified mental-health needs as a core challenge for the sheriff’s office and said jails too often serve as mental-health facilities rather than treatment settings; he described ongoing work to transfer at least one detainee to appropriate care outside the jail.

The event closed with brief candidate remarks and a reminder that the election is scheduled for June 4. Organizers and candidates encouraged voters to attend and review positions ahead of the vote.