John Kroll
Energy efficiency professional
Democrat
Wausau
Elected Experience
Marathon County Board (2024-2026)
Q&A with the Candidate
Why should voters elect you?
I’m a husband, working father — and former county board supervisor. Even with two working parents in our household, we’re feeling the same issues that residents in Marathon County are experiencing as my wife and I try to raise our family — skyrocketing housing and property taxes, increasing health care premiums, and rising energy costs. In my professional career, I’ve worked to reduce energy and housing costs for thousands of homeowners. My career shows I know how to get things done for working Wisconsinites while offering a new generational perspective from the status quo in Madison.
What is the top issue in your district? How would you address it?
Rising costs. Families are being hammered by increased prices in gas, groceries, housing, health care, and energy. We need to fix the property tax issue first by getting off the referendum roller coaster by addressing public school funding so municipalities are not asking voters to keep raising their property taxes to account for school funding gaps. We can also reduce health care costs through lower prescription prices and holding insurance companies accountable. Finally, we can lower energy costs by increasing energy production in Wisconsin with a goal toward energy independence, cap energy rate increases, and good old fashioned energy efficiency — work I’m very experienced in professionally.
How should Wisconsin government operate differently than in the past?
One thing is clear from knocking doors in our district — people want structural changes that deliver concrete results for their families, regardless of what party proposes the bill. This starts by making sure party leaders cannot unilaterally control which bills are allowed to be voted on, votes for bills are taken at reasonable times of the day so the public is aware, and working across the aisle to make life better for working families across Wisconsin. These steps will allow common sense bills that most Wisconsinites agree on to have their public hearing and votes instead of being blocked by party leaders.
What is your favorite fun Wisconsin history fact?
My family and I love the outdoors and care deeply about being good stewards of our environment in Wisconsin. I appreciate that Earth Day is a Wisconsin idea first developed by former governor and Sen. Gaylord Nelson and is now celebrated every year on April 22 around the world, with the original Earth Day in 1970 remaining one of the biggest single day protests in history.