Doug Diny's Plan

Better Roads

Let’s make road maintenance a priority again. Accounting for inflation, we’re spending half as much on roads as we did a decade ago. Doug Diny will work with the city council to pass an “accelerated” plan to address this issue. Roads are mission-critical.

More Affordable Utilities

Let’s lower water rates. Doug Diny has a plan to give Wausau families some breathing room in their budgets: First, any pending PFAS litigation settlement money should go toward reducing our water bills — and lowering utility debt. Second, we must reduce or eliminate the PILOT payment. It’s a hidden tax, plain and simple.

Nicer, Greener Parks

Let’s improve our parks. Their quality has suffered in recent years because of our zeal to add more parks and features without proper endowment for maintenance and upkeep. Grants are often the culprit, they incentivize the city with the capital on the front end to build, but they leave the city hanging with future maintenance and improvement costs. Wausau has an incredible community of local foundations and businesses that should be engaged in the ongoing maintenance of our parks system.

Safer Neighborhoods

Let’s stand with our police officers, firefighters, and EMTs. They’re the tip of the spear for community safety and have earned our support. Doug Diny will strengthen the school resource officer program that places highly trained Wausau Police Department officers directly into the schools, developing positive relationships with kids of all ages.

Diny will also revive the dormant Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) Committee program to make neighborhoods safer and improve the overall quality of life.

Tackling Wausau’s Debt

We must address the city’s debt. Our general obligation and revenue bond debt are soon to exceed $250,000,000. Over the last 4 years under Mayor Rosenberg, Wausau’s debt has doubled.1 This isn’t sustainable and it’s reckless. Doug Diny will get spending under control and get Wausau on track to achieve a surplus.

Providing Tax Relief & Encouraging Growth

We must cut taxes for homeowners and businesses. Our property taxes are among the highest in the state. Fees are skyrocketing as well. Lower property taxes and less regulation are the keys to make Wausau an attractive place to live and work. This will create sustainable growth, more affordable housing options, and a stronger economy.

Creating a Budget That Doesn’t Pile on Debt

We need to get the bureaucracy under control. Currently, the budget is reviewed annually on a “cost to continue” basis. This doesn’t work; departments are disincentivized to make any real cuts or complete serious reviews of programs and their values.

Doug Diny will implement a form of “zero” based budgeting. His “Rotating” Zero Based Planning Process will ensure every program is analyzed, reviewed, and defended every four years.

Rigorous Vetting of Outside Contractors

The city is not a venture capital company. Let’s get out of the real estate business and stop allowing single-bidder projects.

Mayor Rosenberg campaigned in 2020 on increasing the number of bids on projects – but what actually happened? No bid acceptance of the downtown mall development, riverfront projects, and an 80 million dollar project hand-delivered to unvetted Washington Beltway insiders.2 We must do our due diligence and protect taxpayers in city contracts.

Doug Diny will ensure there is fair competition for city contracts and that we get the best price possible.

Open & Accessible Mayor

Transparency is not just a buzzword; it’s a cornerstone of accountable leadership. Doug Diny is deeply committed to transparency in local government. He believes that an open and accessible government is crucial to building trust with our community.

If elected, Diny will champion initiatives that make information easily available to residents. This includes publishing financial reports, city expenditures, and project updates. Citizens deserve to know how their tax dollars are being utilized, and Diny is dedicated to providing clear and comprehensible insights into our city’s finances.

Doug Diny will also enhance communication channels, ensuring that residents are well-informed about key decisions and upcoming projects. Open public forums and regular town hall meetings will be prioritized to foster a two-way dialogue between the government and the people. Doug cares about our input.

Together, we can shape the future of our city.