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Letter to the Editor | Is glossy taxpayer-funded county newsletter self serving? | By Mark Hinchey

October 21, 2024 – Town of Trenton, Wi – Fellow Washington County residents:  We, the hard-working, tax-paying citizens of Washington County, recently received our quarterly newsletter. This is a glossy 8-page document (not cheap I’ll wager) published by the administration featuring some useful information about county government services.
Letter to the Editor
But it is mostly filled with feel-good snippets about our parks, the doings of the police and fire commission, housing starts, etc.
However, in my opinion, it also serves as a thinly veiled self-promoting platform for our county executive Josh Schoemann.  Mr. Schoemann is an ambitious, red-meat, dyed-in-the-wool conservative with all the bona fides (practicing Christian, family man, deep community roots, veteran, etc.)
Fits right in with “we the people” it almost makes him a darling of the Republican establishment looking to groom the next generation of political leaders.
Mr. Schoemann features prominently in our newsletters. Each one includes a picture of Josh on Page 1 and a 1 or 2-page blurb about how his leadership has improved our residents’ lives by shrinking government, promoting business, etc.
Typical Republican fanfare. Just like the savvy politician he is, Mr. Schoemann rarely misses an opportunity to feature himself in some leadership or community outreach role.
Our taxpayer-funded newsletter also seems to serve as a platform for Mr. Schoemann to express his political opinions.  For example, in the October newsletter he holds forth on the purported evils of bureaucracy usurping the power of our elected representatives.
Hmm, isn’t this illegal.
Josh has been a fixture of county government for years. In this regard, although elected, he’s not unlike the bureaucrats he rails against. He’s been around a long time. So have I – a 36-year resident of Trenton.  Despite his rosy plethora of platitudes, I don’t see that my life has improved all that much under his tenure.
Mark Hinchey
Town of Trenton

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