To the editor,

All 19 St. Croix County Supervisor positions are on the ballot for the Tuesday, April 7 election. Some candidates in this non-partisan election have opponents; others are unopposed. Some are incumbents; others are brand new.

To find out which district you are in and who’s running in your district, go to the website myvote.wi.gov.   

Even better, learn about the important job of a county supervisor by spending a few minutes on the St. Croix County website. Supervisors set policy through the ordinances (rules) they vote to approve. Their most important role is to create a budget to support those policies and services required by the state. That budget then determines the taxes we residents pay. Our taxes pay for the services we receive — most of which are invisible until they’re not. Answering 911 calls, snowplowing county roads, monitoring our ground water, ensuring our safety and security, are just a few services our county provides. The board has also issued rules for mining, zoning, truancy, and parks to name a few.

Even if we don’t personally use all the county services, overall, they support the great quality of life we enjoy in St. Croix County.

Knowing what you are voting for and how to vote is an important and vital part of the democratic process.  Inform yourself and select wisely, either voting with your mail-in ballot or going to the polls and voting early or on election day, April 7. Our democratic freedoms depend upon it!

Pam Fricke

New Richmond