BROOKFIELD — With early voting underway and Election Day one week away, Brookfield voters say development, housing, and the city’s finances are top issues in the race for mayor.
Voters casting early ballots at Brookfield City Hall said the mayor’s race is one they are paying close attention to.
“I think it's important to have a say,” one voter said after casting a ballot.
The race for mayor features incumbent Steve Ponto, who has served as mayor since 2010, and challenger Mike Hallquist, a Brookfield alderman.
Watch: Brookfield voters weigh housing, development ahead of mayoral election
Ponto previously served as an alderman and worked as a corporate attorney, while Hallquist works in information technology and has served on the Common Council since 2020.
Both candidates say the election will help determine how the city addresses development, housing, and its budget in the coming years.
Affordable housing
Hallquist:
Hallquist said the city should expand housing options so more people can live in Brookfield, including seniors and people on fixed incomes, and said cities should make an effort to address housing needs and remove barriers to building different types of housing.
“We need to diversify our housing supply,” Hallquist said. “We right now price out all kinds of people, that is, people with disabilities, that is, fixed income seniors, people who may want to downsize.”
Ponto:
Ponto said housing decisions often come down to balancing affordability with maintaining property values and the character of the community, and said the issue can be controversial among residents.
“I think affordable housing is really a difficult issue,” Ponto said. “It has to be managed very carefully.”
He said many residents are concerned about maintaining Brookfield’s current housing values and overall quality of life.
Budget and city finances
Whoever is elected mayor will also help address a roughly $4 million budget gap and make decisions about how the city funds services moving forward.
Hallquist:
Hallquist said rising costs and limited revenue are making it harder for cities to maintain services without changes to how they operate, and said Brookfield will need to look at operations, staffing, and partnerships with other levels of government to remain financially sustainable.
“The biggest concern is definitely the city’s finances and the growing deficit that we have,” he said. “The ability to continue to provide the services that we’ve been able to provide for the last two to three decades has grown much harder.”
Ponto:
Ponto said the deficit is manageable but will require careful decisions about spending and services, and said the challenge will be balancing cuts while still maintaining services residents expect.
“I’m modest. I mean, it’s $4 million,” Ponto said. “If we really wanted to, we could come in with a cleaver and cut back substantially.”
“I think there’s a certain artistry toward cutting back enough so that it isn’t a real burden on the city, but not so much that it substantially impairs the city,” he said.
Development and business growth
Both candidates said development and redevelopment will play a major role in Brookfield’s future, particularly as the city focuses more on redeveloping existing properties and commercial areas.
Hallquist:
Hallquist said attracting new businesses and investment will be important for the city’s long-term financial health and economic growth, and said the city should focus on revitalizing commercial areas and encouraging new investment.
“We also need to find new ways to attract new development, new businesses, to our community,” he said.
Ponto:
Ponto said Brookfield has seen significant development over the years, but is now entering a phase where redevelopment will be more common and often more expensive and time-consuming.
“I think development is really important, and Brookfield has had a lot of development, but we’re at the point now where it’s mainly redevelopment, and that’s more expensive, and it’s slower,” Ponto said.
Vision for Brookfield
Both candidates said the election is ultimately about the future direction of the city and how Brookfield adapts to changes in the coming years.
Hallquist:
Hallquist said his campaign is focused on preparing the city for future changes and improving how the city operates.
“My campaign is about looking forward,” he said. “Issues don’t solve themselves.
Leaders solve problems and find ways to move the city forward.”
Ponto:
Ponto said his experience in government and knowledge of city operations will help guide Brookfield moving forward.
“I look at Brookfield with a lot of confidence in its future,” he said. “I think experience in government is a really good thing when you’re facing issues in government.”
Election Day April 7
Early voting continues through early April, and Brookfield voters will choose their next mayor on April 7.
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