SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Woodbury County Supervisor Matthew Ung, who represents Supervisor District 4, announced on Tuesday he will seek reelection to a third term.
“I don’t just make promises, I keep them,” Ung said, citing eight consecutive years of lowered or flat countywide property tax rates, despite macroeconomic headwinds including 40-year high inflation. Ung also highlighted a steady focus on brass tacks functions of county government, including the largest-ever improvement to over 700 miles of dilapidated gravel roads serving our farmers, first responders, and school bus drivers.
Whether it’s securing 24/7 paramedic coverage for Woodbury County’s rural residents, or leading the board in judicious appropriation of over $20 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds on fundamental functions of government rather than pet projects, Ung said making solid decisions benefitting constituents far beyond his time.
“I don’t take the easy road and coast, I find and advocate for solutions through thick and thin. The best example of refusing to kick the can down the road is the county jail. We were told by law enforcement, the court system, a citizens advisory group, and our maintenance department that the current overcrowded jail endangered public safety. After decades of renovations, it would have been easy to simply propose yet another renovation that wouldn’t fix the problem. But rather than continue to throw good money after bad, we studied every facet and presented a long-term plan to the taxpayers for a new jail, and they approved it by referendum. Today, that solution is being built. And as both inflation and supply chain issues continue to worsen, the decision I made to stop delaying becomes more validated by the math every day,” Ung said.
At age 33 and with 8 years of service, Ung is in the unique position of being both the youngest and the most experienced member of the Woodbury County Board. Throughout his tenure, Ung has not missed a single regular board meeting, except once in 2015 while on a county lobbying trip to Washington, D.C.
“This life experience has provided an extraordinary opportunity to apply fresh perspectives into action while unapologetically representing Christian and conservative principles–which is a promise I’ve kept for this community, and which I make here again,” Ung stated.
Ung holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Creighton University along with a Master of Theology degree, and has over 12 years’ experience in healthcare administration, providing business management for multiple practices totaling several million dollars in annual revenue. He has been married to his wife Nheylin–a U.S. naturalized citizen and immigrant from Honduras–for 10 years, and together they have two young daughters, Charlotte and Madeline.
