Alexander B. Roberson for Sun Prairie

Hello again, neighbors! Long time, no see!

Tomorrow, the City Council votes on the 2026 budget - and the city portion of your annual tax increase. You might recall I campaigned on keeping your annual tax increase at or near $100 on the average home. That isn’t happening. I made that commitment because I knew of what was at the time the worst kept secret in city government - there will be a referendum to raise the levy limit in April 2026 which I believed needed to pass, and I didn’t believe the city council was governing in such a way to make that happen. The referendum survey results have since come in, and boy, was I right. It is not looking good.

My fears that the referendum would not pass were well founded, but ignored. Nothing was done until it was too late, and then it was done in the worst possible fashion. I don’t believe the City Administrator’s haphazard cuts and firings for the 2027 budget - done without adequate council oversight - will cause anyone who was not in favor of the referendum to decide to vote for it, and instead has only decimated our institutional knowledge at City Hall. Things are not on the right track and with massive forced budget cuts looming, we need to all be rowing in the same direction.

If you share my concerns, I encourage you to make your voice heard. I also encourage you to rigorously grill your aldermanic candidates - incumbent and challengers - on how they intend to reign in this renegade City administration while making sensible cuts from the City Budget that protect our services and amenities as best as possible.

The city council meets tomorrow, and you can learn more below.

Sun Prairie Common Council is in the process of discussing the Mayor's Proposed 2026 Budget. This process includes a public hearing, which will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, December 2 at 7:00 pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Residents are welcome and encouraged to attend to share their thoughts on budget priorities and allocations.

The Mayor's Proposed Budget is public and can be viewed on our website ahead of the hearing. https://cityofsunprairie.com/316/Budget-Documents

Hey, y’all! You might be aware that with Steve Stocker being elected mayor, there is an open seat in the First District for the next year. You may be wondering - or have heard a rumor - about my intentions relative to that seat. Way back in February, I began letting folks know that I would not be seeking that one year term when it became available. That remains the case. I will not be applying to serve out the remainder of Mayor Stocker’s council term.

While I am flattered by the voices who have asked me to reconsider, I didn’t run for alder because I wanted a title or because I was upset with the state and federal government and wanted somewhere to start. I ran because I wanted to address a specific local problem: I believe the levy limit needs to be raised and I don’t believe the City Council is governing in such a manner to make that happen when it comes to a vote next year. Clearly, either that message didn’t resonate or I was not the one to be delivering it. So it goes.

I ran to get the city to and through the referendum, not merely to it and simply hope for the best if it doesn’t pass. As I told y’all at your doors, I ran to protect essential services like the library, public safety, and public works if the referendum did not pass. Consequently, because I did not win the two year term, I would have to run again in seven months, win, and serve three years total on Council to accomplish my goal. Putting aside that I just spent every weeknight and every daylight hour of the weekends for four straight months away from my family and have no desire to start that all over again in December, I’m afraid serving three years on Council doesn’t interest me at all. I have no desire for a career in politics, and two years would have been plenty. One year is a year too few, and three years is a year too much. And, so it goes.

Over these last few weeks, I have made many council members aware of my intent to not seek that appointment. On Tuesday, the City Council voted to open applications for that one year term, which will end in April 2026. If you are interested in serving on City Council, I encourage you to apply. Applications are officially open, and they are due April 30. Please reach out to the City for more details.

Thank you, again, to the over one thousand people who cast their vote in my favor. I look forward to seeing you (and your dogs) again soon.

Until then.

ABR

Candidate Information | Sun Prairie, WI - Official Website Get information important for candidates.

I am incredibly grateful to everyone who cast their ballot in my favor on Tuesday. The outcome of the election isn’t what I hoped for, but I’m thankful nonetheless for the support I had from so many of you.

It’s Election Day!

Are you tired of political advertisements and canvassers? Do you wish you didn’t have to keep seeing me every week, asking to earn your vote? Today’s your lucky day!

Go down and cast your ballot, and your “I Voted” sticker will perfectly fit over my face on the literature I left at your house. You can commemorate Election Day and you don’t have to keep looking at me. That’s a win for everyone! Find out where you can cast your ballot and get your own “I Voted” sticker at

www.myvote.wi.gov/find-my-polling-place

I’ve been door knocking since 2006. I started my junior year in high school, canvassing for Doyle and against Wisconsin’s constitutional ban on equal marriage. I knocked doors as a college student at Auburn University for all sorts of candidates in Alabama (where I learned yard signs don’t vote. Only voters vote, so spend your energy at the doors). I even drove to Maine overnight in 2009 to door knock on election day to keep their same s*x marriage law. So, I’ve been door knocking for a long time. But this experience I’ve had the last four months, knocking on y’all’s doors, has been like nothing else I’ve done in my life. Thank you.

I’ve been around our district four times since I started running at the beginning of December. As I canvassed tonight, I was still meeting people for the first time. And there are people who always answer, who I’ve talked to four or five times now. I loved seeing y’all again, too. I may not remember y’all’s dogs’ names, but I do remember and appreciate all the conversations we’ve been able to have at your door. The overwhelming consensus is that people love our city and our neighborhoods. I feel like our message, targeted to the issues facing us locally, has resonated. Folks want a local government that is responsive, guides our growth responsibly, makes careful budget decisions, and protects essential services. People love our parks, our library, our farmers market, and our world-famous groundhog. Who wouldn’t? That’s why we love living here, too.

I couldn’t have run this race without the support of the donors who pitched in or the friendly faces – old friends and new – who encouraged me to keep going even if it was pouring rain or freezing cold. But fundamentally, I could not have run this race without the support of my wife, Kristin. And I don’t just mean that she was understanding about me spending four months straight of my nights and weekends canvassing. Kristin designed the literature I’ve left at your door, acted as a wordsmith and sounding board, and created my website, including making from scratch the “In the News” page in response to voters who had trouble finding information about this race that wasn’t behind a paywall. Folks have told me time and again they’ve appreciated that easy access to that information. Without Kristin, this campaign would have just been one good government nerd standing at your door empty handed.

Regardless of the outcome of this race – and I am confident we will win – I want you to know I’ve enjoyed meeting you, walking your neighborhoods, petting your dogs, and hearing from so many of you about what you love about this city we all call home. If you haven’t yet voted, please make a plan to vote April 1st. And a big thank you to everyone I’ve met these past four months. I’ve never loved living in Sun Prairie more than I do now after running for City Council and meeting y’all.

Send a message to learn more

We took our pup with us to the polls today and cast our ballots. Don’t forget today is your last chance to vote early in person before the election! Early voting ends at noon.

Election Day is April 1! Make a plan to vote!

A throwback to the 2022 Cottage Grove half-marathon. During this campaign, I’ve been walking 13, 14, sometimes 15 miles on Saturdays and Sundays canvassing our neighborhoods. I’ve enjoyed speaking with you about the things you love about Sun Prairie and where you think we can do better. It’s been a long four months since I started running for city council, but like they say, it’s a (half) marathon, not a sprint. We are days away from the election, so don’t forget to vote by April 1!

Hey, y’all! Don’t forget to take this survey, and I hope to see y’all at this important public forum on March 28 at 5:30pm down at City Hall!

*CHIEF OF POLICE RECRUITMENT & PUBLIC FORUM*

The City of Sun Prairie invites community members to participate in the selection process for the next chief of police by submitting questions for the upcoming public forum and attending the event on March 28, at 5:30 p.m. on the second floor of Council Chambers at City Hall, located at 300 E. Main St.

- - -SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS- - -

The Police and Fire Commission, responsible for hiring this position, is seeking community-submitted questions to help shape the forum discussion. Residents can submit their proposed questions online until March 25, at 11:59 p.m. Paper copies are available at City Hall, open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and can be submitted at the front desk. It is important to note that all submitted questions will be reviewed and summarized to highlight common themes.

Submit questions here: https://form.jotform.com/250654422870153

Note: All submitted questions will be reviewed and summarized to highlight common themes.

- - -PUBLIC FORUM- - -

The public forum will serve as an opportunity for both finalists to respond to questions in the first 45 minutes, followed by 15 minutes reserved for candidates to engage with attendees. Those unable to attend in person can watch the live broadcast and recording via the Sun Prairie Media Center.

To attend virtually, please use the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85308096471

- - -FINALISTS- - -

The two finalists for the position are:

Kurt Hallstrom, Deputy Chief of Operations, Saint Paul Police Department

Kevin Warych, Commander of Operations, Green Bay Police Department

Thank you for your involvement throughout this process!

A throwback to Election Day 2012. Here’s me, phone banking with the Auburn College Dems. I had been president of our chapter my junior year in college. In 2012, we set up a campaign headquarters on campus on Election Day to get out the vote.

Flash forward to 2025, and the Auburn Tigers are playing in March Madness, my hair is a little shorter, and, most importantly, you can vote early down at City Hall until 6pm. Make a plan to vote by April 1.

If you're looking for local candidate information, check out these answers in the Star. They may be behind a paywall, so you can find my answers to this - and more! - in full on my webpage robersonforsp.com.

https://www.hngnews.com/the_star/local_news/sun-prairie-candidates-respond-to-q-a/article_25b9929e-e4cb-4840-9c55-570e5aeeca11.html

Sun Prairie candidates respond to Q&A Sun Prairie residents will elect a new mayor, along with alderpersons for District 1, District 2, District 3 and District 4.