Politics & Government

Ward 10 St. Charles City Council Candidate Bryce Steinhoff

Bryce Steinhoff is running for the Ward 10 St. Charles City Council seat.

Patch reached out to all local candidates for office to do an election profile before the April election. All candidates who spoke with Patch will be featured on the site. 

Bryce Steinhoff, 26

Occupation: Owner at LaunchBot Creative - branding, print design, and web development

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Education: Some college, graduated from St. Charles High School as valedictorian

Family: I'm single and was raised by two wonderful parents, Neal and Patricia, alongside the two greatest sisters a guy could ask for, Jennifer and Jill.

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Years in St. Charles: I'm a lifelong resident of both St. Charles and Ward 10, and a graduate of St. Charles High School.

Background: 

  • Current Republican Committeeman for Rivers Township
  • Founding member of Saint Charles County Liberty Project (non-partisan political activism group)
  • Coordinated for the Ron Paul presidential campaign in St. Charles County
  • Managed the "Save Our Sheriff" campaign in St. Charles County opposing the county police department charter amendment.  Unfortunately it passed, but only with 0.72 percent of the vote versus 40-60 percent for other charter amendments

Why are you running for election?

I'm running because I want to be an advocate for the people and a defender of their pocketbooks.  I'll be a fresh voice to ask the tough questions and enhance the level of debate on City issues. We the people need somebody on the council who believes that freedom, not government, is the catalyst of peace and prosperity.

What is the biggest issue facing St. Charles?

Our biggest hurdle is reigning in spending—fiscal responsibility. If the people of ward 10 elect me, my default response to all spending will be "no" unless and until the expense is justified as necessary.

In what areas does St. Charles need to improve?

Broadly speaking, I think St. Charles government would be improved by always asking the question "is this the proper role of government?" If the action under consideration is to protect the liberty of the people, then the answer is "yes". If the goal is to socially or economically engineer our city, the answer is a resounding "no". The latter should be left to the people directly—peaceful, voluntary behavior should not be encumbered by overzealous officials.

What will you do to help attract small business and retail to St. Charles?

An economic environment with a low tax burden will attract residents, which will in turn attract businesses of all kinds. Also, we need to consistently say "no!" to every proposed subsidy, such as TIFs. Corporate welfare subsidies put many businesses, especially those who aren't politically connected, at a competitive disadvantage. TIFs also rob our schools, libraries, and the citizens. That doesn't make for an attractive atmosphere for residents or businesses.

What will you to do to maintain quality of life for St. Charles residents?

A high quality of life isn't generated by government, but by the productivity of the people. The more money government leaves in our pockets, the more that we have to improve our standard of living, purchase things we need and desire, and potentially start a business. I will not vote to raise taxes, period, and will work to find ways to cut existing taxes by reigning in spending. My role on the council will be to protect the liberty of the people; I have no desire to dictate how individuals live their lives.
 
What's one thing you'd like to accomplish this year?

If the people of Ward 10 elect me, I'll immediately start investigating ways we can reduce spending and taxes.


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