Christina Vogel Touts 'Fiscal First' Approach in Race for County Executive
Franchise business-owner focuses on efficient taxpayer dollar allocation in Erie
Christina Vogel is bringing her business background to Erie County to make 'cents' of how best to allocate taxpayer dollars. Walking out from the back of the Donatos Pizza kitchen in the Greengarden Plaza, she took her hat off and sat down briefly to talk with The Reader about her campaign for Erie County Executive.
Vogel owns two Donatos Pizza locations — one in Erie and one in Harborcreek — making her the first independent female franchisee in company history. She resides in Fairview with her husband and three children. She grew up in a small town in central Illinois, working on her grandfather's farm and attending chicken noodle dinners at church. She received her bachelor's degree as a first-generation college graduate in business administration then got master's degrees in journalism and business administration.
In the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Vogel helped develop a national analysis tool to allocate tax dollars more efficiently. She also spent time at the Illinois Office of Management and Budget where she had a hand in managing multibillion-dollar budgets. Now, she's focused on investing in the people of Erie County with the endorsement of past executive Kathy Dahlkemper.
"I believe in Erie County," she said. "I came here not knowing anyone and wanted to make this my home for myself and my husband and our three kids. I feel like I've been doing that from the time I've been here, and I'm working to make it better for the youth that live here."
Vogel is an original member of the Erie County Community College board and believes strongly in its mission to create opportunities for all residents. She is also on the City of Erie's revolving loan fund board.
Beyond business, her interest lies in people. She has found that many of the same problems afflict those people in various municipalities. "A lot of the same issues happen throughout (the county)," she said. "There's a lot of poverty. There's a housing crisis in the county and in the city."
Vogel's sights are set on helping people live easier, and regularly provides her employees with advances to pay child support or their electric bill as inflation continues. She plans to utilize business techniques like zero-based budgeting, which Gov. Josh Shapiro used as a tactic when he was a Montgomery County commissioner.
"It shifts the dollars to the results and removes the wastefulness in a different way than what's happening nationally," she explained.
Already, her businesses have contributed more than $4 million in wages to the community since 2016, and her Pizza for a Purpose effort has raised funds for church childcare facilities, Julia House, robotics teams, drama clubs, sports teams, and more. "I have consistently made change, made things better, created jobs, created opportunities in the community," Vogel said. "I feel like more than any of the other two candidates, I am the person that can execute the plan. That does the work, that follows through, that can genuinely bring about change."
Being the person who washes dishes, cleans bathrooms, and welcomes guests in her stores, she said she meets various people who keep her grounded. "If you spend all your time with people that make $100,000 or even $80,000 and up, you are disconnected from what is happening. But I see it every day, I feel it every day," she said. "That disconnect from the top to the bottom is what I think has caused a lot of problems."
Vogel hopes to prioritize "fiscal first" to address stressors and burdens people face so they can get back to connecting with their community — moving away from the "tribalism" she said has occurred on national and local levels.
As a non-Erie-native, she understands that people are unsure of her. "Read up about me, meet me, see how much I align with what you believe," she said, encouraging people to reach out or open their door when she knocks.
To learn more, visit voteforvogel.org
Chloe Forbes is a local journalist. Reach her at chloeforbes14@gmail.com.
