I'm Alexander Burke Roberson, and I'm running to represent our wonderful First District on the Sun Prairie City Council. From farmers markets to midget stock car races, from local businesses to the museum, from corn festivals to prognosticating groundhogs, the First District is the beating heart of Sun Prairie, and I’d be honored to have your vote to represent us on the City Council.

As I talk with neighbors throughout our District, I hear a consistent theme: you want a local government that listens, responds, and respects both your input and your pocketbook. That's exactly the kind of representation I aim to provide.

I believe in a local government that grows our city responsibly and spends our money wisely. Together, we can work toward our shared vision of an affordable, vibrant, and welcoming community where everyone feels at home.

My Sun Prairie Story

My journey to Sun Prairie has been a winding one. I'm a native Wisconsinite, though my education took me south for college and law school. My professional career began in Memphis, Tennessee, where I worked for the largest school district in the state developing new systems of oversight and accountability and defending local school board decisions on appeal before the State Board of Education.

In 2020, my wife and I were looking for a change. We both found jobs in Dane County and decided to make the move to Sun Prairie. From the moment we arrived, we knew we had found something special.

Our neighbors welcomed us with open arms, and we quickly fell in love with this community. We even celebrated our wedding on the front porch of our home—that's how much this place means to us. There's something magical about building a life in a community where you truly feel you belong.

I've spent the past year having conversations with folks all across our District. We have a lot of economic and cultural diversity in our neighborhoods, and I've been listening to what matters to you. I’m excited about the opportunity to represent y’all on the City Council.

My Experience

Professional Background

I come from a family of educators, so when I earned my law degree from the University of Memphis, it was natural to begin working with the school district. I’ve used my Juris Doctorate to do compliance work for both local and state education agencies. As a former central office staff member at a large urban school district, I understand the relationship between a board and the staff that make the city run day-to-day, and can balance employee expertise with the Council’s duty to see the bigger picture and act accordingly.

Community Involvement

Getting to know our community has been my priority—and pleasure—since making Sun Prairie home, and before. I've made it a point to attend city meetings, volunteer at community events, and simply talk with as many neighbors as possible.

I’ve been honored to volunteer for the Corn Fest Parade, as a poll worker, and the emergency food pantry. Before moving to Sun Prairie, I served twice with the national community service organization AmeriCorps, once as an AmeriCorps JD and once as an AmeriCorps VISTA.

My Priorities for Sun Prairie

Open and Available Government

If elected, I promise to keep you informed every step of the way. You'll receive monthly newsletters detailing what's happening at City Hall and how it affects our district.

More importantly, I'll host regular office hours where you can share your thoughts, concerns, and ideas directly with me. Good governance starts with being accessible and accountable to those you represent.

When you reach out to me with a question or concern, you can expect a prompt and respectful response. We might not see eye-to-eye on every issue, but I will always value your perspective and explain my reasoning clearly.

Responsible Growth

Sun Prairie is growing rapidly, and that brings both opportunities and challenges. I welcome all our new neighbors with open arms—but I also believe we need to be thoughtful about how we grow.

Large apartment complexes alone won't solve our affordability challenges. Neither will an exclusive focus on single-family homes. What we need is an "All of the Above" approach that creates diverse housing options for diverse needs and provides opportunities for local ownership.

I support developing more duplexes, fourplexes, and low-rise apartments that fit the character of our neighborhoods while expanding housing choices. I was the first and only District 1 candidate to publicly call for keeping the Tax Increment Finance District 8 and 9 open an additional year to provide $5.3 million into the City’s Affordable Housing Fund. I'm particularly passionate about increasing opportunities that help residents build generational wealth and keep money circulating in our local economy.

Fiscal Responsibility

Let me be clear: I believe in the value of public services. Our taxes fund the parks where our children play, the museum that preserves our history, the library that expands our minds, and the police and fire departments that keep us safe.

However, I also understand the reality of household budgets. Whether you're on a fixed income, raising a family, saving for retirement, or paying rent that reflects property tax increases, every dollar matters.

That's why I commit to voting to keep the City portion of your annual tax increases—excluding refuse and recycling fees—at or near $100 a year. I can't promise taxes won't increase at all, but I promise to fight to keep increases manageable and predictable. We need to spend our taxes wisely so we can continue to provide robust services to our community.

Prioritizing Essentials

As we approach the state-imposed levy limit, our city will face tough choices about spending priorities. When those difficult decisions arise, I'll be guided by a simple principle: “Is this an essential government function for the public good?”

I will protect funding for core services like our library, public safety, and public works. These fundamental functions of local government must remain strong even when budgets tighten.

For other projects and initiatives, I'll evaluate each on its merits, considering both short-term costs and long-term benefits. We cannot in good conscience ask our neighbors to pay more in taxes without ensuring those dollars are spent wisely and effectively.

My Commitment to You

The First District is truly the beating heart of Sun Prairie. From our historic downtown to our diverse neighborhoods, from our community celebrations to our everyday interactions, this is a special place worth protecting and enhancing.

I'm committed to representing all our neighbors—homeowners and renters, longtime residents and newcomers, seniors and young families. While we all bring different perspectives, we share a common goal: making our district an even better place to live, work, and build a future.

I hope you'll share your thoughts about what makes Sun Prairie shine for you. I want to hear your hopes for our community's future and your concerns about the challenges we face.

If you honor me with your vote, I promise to bring your voice to City Hall. I will work tirelessly to ensure our local government truly serves all of the people who call this wonderful community home.

My best, always,

Alexander B. Roberson