The Ripon Rabbit
Tonight’s conversation may be happening in Ripon… but make no mistake—this story is much bigger than one town.
Because what’s happening in Ripon is happening in small communities all across America. Rising costs. Questions about priorities. Concerns over spending. Frustration from taxpayers. A growing feeling that local governments have drifted away from the people it was supposed to serve.
INTERVIEW SUMMARY
Show Introduction & The Stakes of the Election
- A Snapshot of Small Town America: Host AJ the Ripon Rabbit introduces the mayoral race not just as a local issue, but as a reflection of nationwide concerns regarding local government priorities.
- Back to Basics: The core premise of the episode is questioning whether local government has stopped focusing on fundamental, unglamorous basics—like safe roads, clean water, and disciplined budgets—in favor of expensive studies and press releases.
John Sullivan’s Background & Motivation to Run
- Professional Background: John Sullivan shares that he grew up on a dairy farm, has worked in the banking and finance industry for over 30 years, and has experience managing real estate properties in Oshkosh. He believes his background in collecting loans and spotting financial fraud prepares him to investigate city spending.
- The Breaking Point: Sullivan was motivated to run after a local “wheel tax” was introduced, which he viewed as an excuse to get more money from citizens. His frustration peaked when he and others were rudely cut off after just two minutes of public comment during a city council meeting, leading him to feel the meeting was pre-planned theater. A final catalyst was the city poorly plowing his street and trapping his car during a winter storm.
Critique of Current City Leadership & Wasteful Spending
- Reckless Spending Habits: Sullivan argues that current leadership misuses taxpayer money by normalizing debt and fee increases. He highlights multiple examples of alleged waste, including spending millions on a park behind his house, building an unnecessarily extravagant $12 million public works facility with heated floors, and buying a $400,000 street sweeper.
- Over-Policing for the Population: Sullivan questions the budget allocation for the police department, noting that Ripon (population ~7,800) has 14 officers, compared to the larger neighboring town of Waupun (population ~11,300), which operates with 17.
- Over-reliance on Consultants: A major takeaway is Sullivan’s revelation that the city has not employed a dedicated city engineer in over 20 years. Instead, the city heavily relies on outside consultants who he claims “gouge” the city and act as highly paid babysitters, driving up the costs of projects and building permits.
Sullivan’s Platform & Policy Priorities
- Fixing Core Infrastructure Properly: Rather than putting “band-aids” on surface-level road issues, Sullivan wants to completely rebuild the aging infrastructure underneath the roads, specifically targeting old lead water lines that frequently break.
- Line-by-Line Financial Review: If elected, his immediate priority is to conduct a line-by-line review of the budget to see exactly where taxpayer money is going and to stop frivolous spending.
- The “Trap” of Grants and TIFs: Sullivan warns that government grants act like “construction loans” that often force the city to overpay for projects and cover ongoing maintenance costs. He is also highly critical of using Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and subsidies to build multi-family housing (apartments), arguing that it artificially inflates the market and squeezes out existing homeowners.
- Restoring Transparency and Respect: Sullivan emphasizes that the city administration must stop treating citizens with condescension. He promises to eliminate the strict two-minute speaking limits for residents at public hearings and focus on making existing homeowners proud of their town through tangible improvements.
When asked to summarize common sense leadership in three words, Sullivan responded, “do the right thing”. Ultimately, his message is that local government must shrink its vanity projects, right-size its spending, and refocus entirely on transparent, foundational infrastructure.
