04/21/2026
VOTE411 League of Women Voters of the South Bend Area American Democracy Project at IU South Bend Asked every township board candidate the following questions, these are my answers:
Question: Why did you decide to run for this position as a township board member?
Answer: As a seventh-generation Mishawakan, Penn Township has not only been my home, but also the home of my ancestors for well over a century. As a member of Generation Z, I have seen the brain drain from our community and young people losing faith in our democratic system. I have mulled running for office for the past two election cycles. What drove me to running was seeing that not a single Democrat filed to run for the Penn Township Advisory Board. Our nation is in its 250th year, and it would be undemocratic to have an unopposed election where around 45% of voters have zero candidates that represent their values.
Question: The township trustee is entrusted with distribution of poor relief. What assistance and advice will you provide to help the trustee carry out this responsibility?
Answer: Volunteerism has been a large aspect of my life since I was a member of the Mishawaka Mayor Youth Advisory Council. The MYAC does yearly charity events such as raising funds to provide Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for families in need of help. What I learned from years of volunteering in our community is that public/private partnerships are hard to form, crucial to success, and that food banks are always in need of help. My advice to the Penn Township Trustee is that we need to form more partnerships with groups like the MYAC and increase the budget for giving poor relief to the Mishawaka Food Pantry. Last year during the government shutdown, families that were living paycheck to paycheck had to rely on these non-profits to survive. Penn Township has millions of unused dollars that can be used for poor relief while staying fiscal.
Question: What is the biggest issue or challenge facing your township right now, and how will you go about trying to resolve or address it?
Answer: The biggest issue facing Penn Township is public safety funding. Senate Bill 1 capped property taxes, leaving townships struggling to support their fire departments and forcing mergers as a temporary workaround. These mergers raise taxes while reducing local autonomy. The advisory board must work proactively with municipalities like Mishawaka and groups such as AIM to advocate for sustainable funding and protect residents from sudden tax increases. Decisions made at the state level should not undermine our firefighters or our community.
Question: What skills do you offer as a board member? Will you bring strengths in accounting, record keeping, public relations, or something else? What role do you see yourself playing on the board?
Answer: I bring practical skills that align with township responsibilities. As an Administrative and Safety Officer in my family’s electrical business, I manage safety compliance and budgeting, and our company regularly works with fire inspectors to ensure buildings meet life‑safety standards. I’m also a dues‑paying IBEW Local 153 member, giving me experience working with unions and understanding the needs of first responders. My community service and work as a local historian have shown me the importance of supporting food assistance programs and maintaining our cemeteries. On the board, I aim to improve visibility, communication, and access so residents understand the services available to them.
Question: As an elected official, how will you make yourself accessible to township residents? How can constituents contact you about matters of concern, and what steps will you take to proactively solicit resident feedback?
Answer: There is a clear generational gap that is present within politics. Younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z have seen the deterioration of social gatherings, which means that a large bloc of voters will go about their lives never encountering public servants, even if the officials have a town hall or go to a local event in the township. The future is digital and I plan to have outreach that is not only organic but doing so in a way that the constituents of Penn Township will come and ask for help. Portage Township has done a fantastic job with social media outreach, and I want to use that as a blueprint for the Penn Township government. Right now, reach out with questions on Facebook, “Lange for Penn Township Board,” or email [email protected].
Question: Township advisory boards have recently played a role in approving fire territory mergers aimed at improving service but raising concerns about costs. What role should the advisory board play in balancing service improvements with potential tax increases?
Answer: Fire protection is essential, and recent state policies have made it harder for townships to fund their departments without turning to mergers. These mergers kept services operating, but they also led to steep tax increases from $0.25 to $0.48 per $100 of assessed value, raising the average Penn household cost (excluding Mishawaka residents as they have an independent Fire Department that will not have tax increases) from $474.50 to $910 a year. The advisory board cannot rewrite state law, but it should not be silent or passive. We need a board that speaks up early, communicates the financial realities clearly, and works with neighboring governments and statewide organizations to advocate for sustainable funding. The goal is to protect public safety while preventing sudden tax jumps and preserving township autonomy. A board with a voice can help shape the conversation instead of reacting after the fact.
Question: Township advisory boards are responsible for approving budgets and holding public meetings, yet public engagement often varies widely depending on the issue. What steps would you take to improve transparency and encourage more consistent community participation in township decision-making?
Answer: As part of a modernization plan with digital infrastructure, Penn Township should model their meetings like the City of Mishawaka does its Common Council meetings. This means an updated and modern website, livestreams of the meetings, uploaded videos of the meetings, as well as remote call-ins. Creating the digital infrastructure and including social media outreach will increase the participation of the residents of Penn Township. Most people are too busy to keep track of meetings, but the more accessible they are, the more likely they will. As they said in Field of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come.”
